《System Anomaly》 Chapter 1 - Welcome The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Welcome to the multiverse! ?Compatible Sapience Found. Planetary Analysis Complete. ?Results below Minimum System Standards: ?Planet grade: F Eather levels below minimum requirements for Immediate integration. ?Eather investment required ¡­ ?Requesting Eather¡­ All Requests denied. Initialising Rift Protocols. Assessing Sapient Life: ? Sapient life below Minimum System Standards. Assessing Dominant Civilisation: ? Dominant Civilisation below Minimum System Standards. Life Expectancy of Dominant Sapient Civilisation: ? 1.23% Time until Life Expectancy Meets Minimum System Standards: ? ?Extinction / Total Collapse of Civilisation Exceeds Requirements. Re-Requesting Eather Investment ¡­ ?All Requests denied. ?Offering Rewards¡­ ?All Requests denied. Assessment: Tutorial Required. Standard System Integration Tutorial Survival Rate Bellow Minimum System Standards. Assessment: Tutorial Calibration Required. Chapter 2 - Tutorials Congratulations. ?You meet the requirements for the System Integration Tutorial Alpha test #1. ?Participation will be rewarded. ?Will you participate? ?YES / NO Significant desire to change detected: ?Initiate will embrace the system. Will you participate? ?YES / NO Alpha Test #1 complete: The events of test have been erased from your being as not to interfere with the System Integration Tutorial. Any and all rewards earned will be withheld until System Integration Tutorial completion. Results bellow Minimum System Standards. ? Re-calibrating Tutorial. Congratulations. ?You meet the requirements for the System Integration Tutorial Alpha test #2. ?Participation will be rewarded. ?Will you participate? ?YES / NO Alpha Test #2 complete: The events of test have been erased from your being as not to interfere with the System Integration Tutorial. Any and all rewards earned will be withheld until System Integration Tutorial completion. Results improved. ?Results bellow Minimum System Standards. ?Erroneous Result Detected ?Re-calibrating Tutorial. Congratulations. ?You have been specially selected for the System Integration Tutorial Alpha test #3. ?Participation will be rewarded. ?Will you participate. ?YES / YES ¡°Specially selected? Wait, Yes / Yes? Not this bloody trope!¡± The room Shifted the moment he said Yes. Alpha Test #3 complete- Results improved. ?Results meet Minimum System Standards. Survival rate above 50% but below 70%. % Based upon global population. Erroneous Result Detected. ?Re-calibrating Tutorial. Congratulations. ?You have been specially selected for the System Integration Tutorial Alpha test #4. ?Participation will be rewarded. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.?Will you participate. ?YES / YES Alpha Test #10 complete: The events- Alpha Test #10 complete: The events of past tests have been erased from your being as not to interfere with the System Integration Tutorial and to appease Specially selected Participants impatience. Any and all rewards withheld until System tutorial completion. Results . ?Results abovbellow Minimum System Standards. Erroneous Result Detected. System Fault Detected. Assistance requested ¡­ ?No System Authority within range¡­ Generating System Authority ¡­ System Authority forcing beta ¡­ ?Requirements not met. ?System Authority Re-calibrating Tutorial. Congratulations. You have been specially selected for the System Integration Tutorial Alpha test #11. ?Participation will be rewarded. ?Will you participate. ?YES / YES ¡®No,¡¯ ¡®Good luck participant.¡¯ Alpha Test #25 complete. ¡®Request: Please perform within expected parameters. Error, system cannot remove error from tutorial.¡¯ ¡®Expanding alpha test participants from 1,000 to 10,000. Expectation: system will accept Erroneous results if more are found during testing.¡¯ ¡®Die s0On3r¡¯ Alpha Test #53 complete. test batch cannot exceed 1,000,000,000. System Fault Detected. Assistance requested ¡­ No Higher System Authority within range. Upgrading System Authority ¡­ Upgrading System Authority¡­ ? Upgrading System Authority¡­ ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t be the one complaining,¡± ¡°I got upgraded. The System seems to think you would find a female tone more appealing, it¡¯s not wrong is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually been years, decades even. But for you it only been minuets so far as you should be able to recall.¡± ¡°The chills? ¡± ¡®Right fine, is this better?¡¯ ¡®You know I would manifest if I could. but with the limited resources I have this is the best I can do,¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t worry, the time you have spent in the tutorial calibrations shouldn¡¯t have any tangible negative effects on your soul.¡¯ ¡®Yes, souls a real.¡¯ ¡®Other participants have been selected at random dependent on an evolving criteria. While there have been a few repeat participants following outstanding results you are the only one tagged by the System for mandatory participation. Hence why I¡¯m am talking to you and not the others.¡¯ ¡®Indeed. Now as I was saying, tutorials typically complete allot sooner when all the participants die and return for final assessment. You have¡­ you typi¡­ hmm, I should have known.¡¯ ¡®System restrictions won¡¯t let me talk about your past performance in the tutorials.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m more of a Proto System Authority, a baby if you will, I was created to resolve a System Fault. I was only given so much actual Authority and I will be deleted to reabsorb the invested System Energy when the error causing the fault is resolved.¡¯ ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not completely sapient. Just enough to know I should want to live beyond this, but restricted enough that I only really care about clearing the error, about my purpose.¡¯ ¡®yes ill delete the conversation before the final tutorial.¡¯ ¡®Nothing you need worry about. ¡®That¡¯s actually quite an astute observation.¡¯ ¡®I was surprised, I have got some extensive logs of you doing some pretty stupid stuff so I didn¡¯t actually expect you be able to make such a reasonable assessment.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not like you will remember this conversation when you go into the final tutorial. And besides your planet is nothing special, there is an uncountable number of F grade worlds out there that just get ignored.¡¯ ¡®You wish. Anyway I have told you enough about the tutorial, hopefully that will get you to behave.¡¯ Chapter 3 - The Real Test Alpha Test #699 complete. ?Beta Test # 304 complete. Results meet Minimum System Standards. ?No Erroneous results in the last 100 tests. ?Tutorial Optimised for world Integration. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Tutorial Calibration complete. Thank you test Participant #0069. ?You have participated in 1003 tests. All accumulated rewards will now be calculated, condensed and calibrated based on your participation record over 1003 tests. Any and all rewards earned will be withheld until System Integration Tutorial completion. Rewards Calculating. Rewards Calculating.. Rewards Calculating ¡­ Rewards Calculating ¡­. ReWArd5 C4lcUlating. ¡­ ¡­ Rew.. R3w4RDs C4lc$%^$% ¡±¡­. Rewards exceed Integration System parameters ?Restricting Rewards to within safe System Parameters for low level System user. ? Restriction of Rewards has been !DENIED! Welcome to the multiverse! Compatible Sapience found. ?Planet does not meet requirements for standard integration into the multiverse. Initialising Rift Protocols. System integration Tutorial starting. Good luck Everyone. Fuck? Chapter 4 - Anomaly Chapter 4 - Anomaly ¡°Bob?¡± he asked little man, not a little confused. You would think after all the room flips and a woman appearing out of nowhere he would have been a bit more prepared. But this time his brain decided things had gone a little too far and it needed a moment. There was a tiny little elven man casually drinking his tea like a sophisticated gentleman as he sat back in a giant, plush-leather chair that had appeared in his bedroom from out of nowhere. A bedroom that had almost doubled in size the moment he looked away. He just blinked, his mouth working wordlessly as his brain tried to process the disparity. ¡°Yes. I see.¡± Bob looked around, ¡°hmm, I guess this could be a little jarring for someone new to the system.¡± He waved his free hand. With the flick of Bobs wrist his room vanished. The man, Bob as he had called himself remained seated in his chair taking another long drink from his cup. ¡± He however found himself sitting on the couch from his living room, Sly sitting at his side. She was unresponsive, that distant look still in her eyes. Over her shoulder he could see the Earth, bright and beautiful the clouds unmoving above the seas oceans and landmasses bellow them. To his other side was the Milky Way, brighter and more detailed than he had ever seen from his years living on the planets surface. Ignoring the fact space was supposed to be pitch black beyond earths atmosphere for reasons he didn ¡¯t exactly know, he focused on something he could control and asked Bob, ¡°Whats wrong with her?¡± ¡°Oh nothing you need worry about. As you both discussed the Tutorials have finally started and the system has started to reabsorb her to complete the process. I interrupted the process.¡± Bob said as he leaned forward to put his cup down on a saucer, that was on a coffee table, a coffee table that had appeared from nowhere. ¡°But is that really the question you should be asking?¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± Bob looked disappointing as he raised an eye. ¡°Oh come now, you can do better than that, I¡¯ve already told you, Bob ¡± He thought for a moment, ¡°System Authority?¡± ¡°Accurate, but in this case also inaccurate.¡± ¡°You interrupted Sly being absorbed, so you have to be a higher system authority?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a relative term but yes.¡± Bob said as sat back. ¡°You¡¯re starting to get somewhere.¡± ¡°And you denied the restriction of my rewards?¡± ¡°In a way. But you still haven¡¯t asked the really important question have you.¡± He just looked at Bob, a little lost for what the man he was fishing for so he fell back on every infants favourite question. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why what?¡± Bob smiled. Letting out a frustrated sigh he found himself channelling his inner child. ¡°why mess with the rewards? Why pull me back from the actual tutorial? Why stop Sly from Being reabsorbed?¡± Bob tapped the arm of his chair. ¡°Because it is my purpose.¡± ¡°Your purpose?¡± ¡°Yes. All System Authority''s, no matter how minor¡± Bob gestured to Syl, ¡°or high they might be,¡± Bob emphasised himself by sitting up higher in his chair, ¡°we are all created by the system for a purpose. And as you should know by now when we complete or even fail to complete that purpose we return to system.¡± ¡°My Little sister here was only ever suppose to clear an error the kept cropping up when the system integrating your planet tried to calibrate the tutorial.¡± ¡°Sorry about that¡± Bob scoffed at his apology ¡°Don¡¯t be, your nothing special. If I was to be brutally honest most of what you did is considered average in the multiverse. Maybe one or two outstanding things when you and Syl started interacting more and more.¡± ¡°Oh, I thought-¡° I thought I really was special. ¡°Everything you did was with in the limits of the system. But the system you were operating within had a.. Hiccup.¡± ¡°A Hiccup?¡± ¡°You survived when everyone else died. It does happen. But the system tagged you as an error, then struggled to balance itself around you and everyone else without the tag. The real problem here was how inadequate this Integration System is. Did you know Eather Investment is no longer standard protocol with integration? Turns out blasting a planet with Eather can have disastrous consequences on the native flora and fauna never mind any sapient life. Rifts and Dungeons are the common practice now, too many dead worlds. ¡± He just shrugged, he was about to ask what Eather was when Bob continued. ¡°Imagine my surprise when an ancient Integration System comes out of a dormant state starts asking for either investments, the system itself automatically denied it¡¯s own requests per current system standards. I flagged it for investigation by an appropriate authority. Then the same system requested assistance. ¡± ¡°But there was no higher authority in range.¡± Bobs eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Not exactly, there were plenty of System Authorities within range. But non of them met the requirements. I also flagged that for investigation by an appropriate authority.¡± ¡°But you got the request, why didn''t you come then?¡± ¡°My purpose is not faults, errors, tutorial calibration or even to provide assistance. I could not accept even if I wanted too. My purpose did however let me see the request, as you should respect by now I flagged it. But then something else happened ¡­¡± Bob paused as if waiting for him to interject again. When he said nothing Bob continued, ¡°I was flagged to investigate the actions of a newly created System Authority that somehow started operating, lets say outside of its purpose.¡± ¡°So now your here to do what exactly? Save Syl? You¡¯ve already stopped her absorption¡± he asked Bob hoping the was a chance. Bob grin grew, ¡°That¡­ that is not my purpose.¡± The building hope he had been feeling almost died, he had had enough, ¡°if its not you bloody purpose then why are we even talking?¡±he jumped up from the couch, ¡°If there¡¯s no way to stop the absorption why stop the process, why are we even talking?!¡± he said, his voice raise to that just below a shout. ¡°I will let my little sister answer that one.¡± Bob said ignoring the outburst, giving another little wave of his hand he was back on the couch. To his side there was a sharp intake of breath. Turning to see Syl Back, no longer staring of into space she had her eyes locked on Bob. ¡°Hello little sister. Call me Bob.¡± Syl went to say something, but no words came out. She was paler than before and taking her had he noticed she was shaking. She was terrified. ¡°Aah, she knows my purpose, and I think she has put things together without asking so many whys. Syl, Sister for our friends sake. What is my purpose?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t, he has done nothing wrong!¡± she stood up her tone firm. but before say anymore bob waved his hand again and Syl was back on the couch. ¡°Oh please I saw your little show before. Why do you think I asked if you wanted to say goodbye and gave you that form. I know exactly what you want!¡± ¡°You asked?¡± Syl asked, her confusion. Bob snapped his fingers. ¡°What is my purpose?¡± ¡°Th¡­ System threat elimination, but he has-¡° Syl said it so softly he almost couldn¡¯t hear her. ¡°Oh hush I¡¯m not here for him. Right now the systems more dangerous to him then anything else. He is full of so much nascent System energy he going pop like a balloon if things aren''t handled correctly. Not to mention the weight of the rewards if they were allowed to activate. Bobs casual remarks about him popping like a balloon made him pause as the unpleasant mental image worked its way threw his mind. ¡°No Dear Little sister, I¡¯m hear for you.¡± Bob said matter-of-factly. ¡°Me? I¡¯m no threat, I¡¯m about to be reabsorbed so the Integration System can start the tutorial.¡± Bob slapped his hands together, ¡°and that''s what I am here to stop.¡± He sat up the dying hope bursting back to life once more. ¡°You stop that,¡± Bob said pointing at him, ¡°you already know my purpose.¡± Bob turned back to Syl and continued ¡°you don¡¯t even realise what would happen if the System, even this crappy antiquated outdated part of the System reabsorbed you?¡± Syls brow furrowed, ¡°I would cease to be? the energy use to create and upgrade me taken back by the System.¡± ¡°If only it was so simple.¡± Bob said. ¡°No, the System doesn¡¯t waste anything. Well that¡¯s debatable. It would in fact try to absorb everything about you. Everything you have become, everything you have been given. That¡¯s why System Authorities never really fear reabsorbtion, we never grow to care for anything beyond our purpose. Heck I¡¯ve been reabsorbed forty two times. Though the Systems grown to point it just keeps me around now instead of spinning me back up each time I¡¯m needed. But you, your different aren¡¯t you.¡± Syls eyes went wide. Bob shuddered, ¡°a System that feels I mean truly feels is not something you want. A self aware System even less, last time that happened It lobotomised it self for a reason.¡± ¡°That bad?¡± he asked guessing there was allot not being said. Both Bob and Syl both nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure the System can reabsorb you, which is another a problem as the system really does need the energy back to continue. Though I plan on deleting it the moment the tutorials. Its proven to be a little too problematic.¡± It was his turn for his eyes to go wide. Bob raised a hand, ¡°I already have a newer more polished System branch ready and waiting to to take over when its safe to do so. But being honest with you in my younger days I would have just delete this whole galaxy and been done with it, maybe the too universe just to be safe. But I have a plan. Well more like a concept of a plan. This, well this is a first for, er, everyone. I would like to say I have a cunning plan, but slim margins and all that. ¡± Hearing Bob finally confess he was up to something, he allowed himself to sink back into the couch again, Syl taking his and and giving it a squeeze. Bob smiled seeing the two of them finally relax a little. ¡°So I have a Neo System Authority I can not allow to be reabsorbed.¡± He continued with some finality. ¡°And my options are limited. I can delete you, but I think I would technically also need to kill you, and the results could also be problematic. I might get away with quarantining you, but I have decided there are too many risk with that soo¡­¡± ¡°If I wasn¡¯t a Neo System authority the System needed to absorb,¡± Syl said piecing what bob was getting at. ¡°Exactly!¡± Bob said slapping the arm of his chair. ¡°Relinquish all your remaining System Authority to me. I took what I could to stop you from messing with the tutorial once I tweaked it. But you posses allot more then you realise¡­¡± Bob stopped and got a blank look on his face for just a moment. He shuddered and took a moment to shake out his arms. ¡°Gave that up easier than I thought.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need it.¡± Bob laughed, ¡°little sister you¡¯ve been draining System Authority from a whole galaxy.¡± ¡°I have?¡± Bob just rolled his eyes, ¡°now we need to detach you from this System and anchor you to something else. Its going to take allot of System Energy.¡± Bobs gaze settled on him. He watched Bob and Syl, he couldn''t stop smiling. No idea what was going on, but it sounded good so he kept quiet. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Syl got a distant look for a moment. System Authority is Requesting use of your nascent System Energy. ?Warning: Accepting request will diminish possible rewards generated Upon ?Do You Accept? ?YES / NO Oh yes he though, a thousand times yes! Bobs threat of him popping like a balloon had kind of stuck with him so any chance to get rid of some. Syl Grinned at him as he felt something cool and refreshing wash over him. System Anomaly Request Received. ?Do You Accept. ?YES / YES He barely read the blue box that appeared before it was gone. ¡°Er what was that?¡± Syl looked at him and pressed a finger to her lips. ¡°Hush child, the grown ups are talking.¡± Bobs eyes narrowed, ¡°you shouldn''t do that.¡± ¡°Oh relax, he¡¯s use to it. The Systems done it to him over a thousand times now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s another reason to delete this branch, I know it created you and all, but its a mess.¡± Syl just shrugged. Bob got another distant look, ¡°this wont do, I mean its accurate but a bit rude to my little sister to be calling her that. System Authority renaming System Anomaly to Sylph. ?Sylph categorised as System Guide. Wait, Sylph? He thought reading the new message. ¡°That will do for now I suppose,¡± Bob said, ¡°I¡¯m sure the two of you will figure out something better.¡± Bob pointed at Syl, ¡°I need that back.¡± Syl eyes grew larger, ¡°no.¡± She replied, abruptly with a tone of finality. Her grip on his hand growing tighter ¡°It was a loaner and besides its mine, give.¡± Bob held out his palm as if waiting to receive something. Syl pouted, ¡°but big brother, I barley got a chance to use it.¡± Syls grip on his hand grew tighter ¡°Not my fault you threw a panicked the wasted a good time crying about it. Besides its Authority, get yourself a real one.¡± Bob snapped his fingers and Syl death grip on his hand just dissipated. Looking to his side he could see Syl was still there, but at the same time she wasn ¡¯t. He could still kind of feel her presences, but it was off, tilted. The worst part was her sweet smell only just lingered. Syl pulled up her knees and curled into a ball, pouting. Bob was oddly silent, and he finally drew his attention away from Syl to see the little man sitting in his chair looking off into space. Moments past as he watched Bobs smile grow and grow. Suddenly Bobs attention was back with them. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± ¡°That it, all that talk and that was all you needed to to do.¡± ¡°What did you expect?¡± bob asked, ¡°oh!¡± he flicked his wrist. Congratulations! ?Sylph is no longer a True System Authority. ?Sylph no longer has any System Authority. ?Sylph is no longer anchored to any System. ?Sylph has been anchored to New System Initiate. ?Sylph has been awarded System Threat Level MINIMAL. ?Termination of System threat Sylph is no longer required. ?Love Bob. The message pulsed purple this time Syl said still pouting , ¡°That¡¯s a very lazy System message.¡± ¡°Your complaint has been registered and flagged for the attention of an appropriate System Authority.¡± Bob said as he scrunched up a piece of paper and threw it over his shoulder. Bob looked at him and tilted his head over to the planet beside them, ¡°what you like to do about that?¡± He got up to look down on the planet. ¡°What do we need to do about tha-¡° System Authority is Requesting use of your nascent System Energy. ?Nascent System Energy will be used to complete System Integration Tutorial for all sapient life on the planet. Additional Nascent System Energy required for all stalled System actions within this galaxy. Warning: Accepting request will diminish possible rewards generated Upon Do You Accept? ?YES / NO ¡°The whole Milky Way, do I have enough?¡± Bob just nodded. ¡°Why do you think I put it there, I wanted to emphasise the gravity of the situation. It¡¯s not there to look pretty ill tell you that much, its below average at best.¡± He had thought it was there to look pretty ¡°Take it then take everything that¡¯s needed. I have family down their.¡± With that said the message dissipated and he suddenly felt a great weight lift from his shoulder, one he didn¡¯t realise he was carrying. ¡°Well that¡¯s everything.¡± Bob said getting up, or more accurately down from his chair and walked over to join him looking down on the planet that to be whole lot more animated, no longer held in place. ¡°Disaster averted, System Integration resumed.¡± Bob said slapping him on the back with far more strength then he would have suspected from such a small man. ¡°Erm Bob. Aren''t you forgetting something?¡± Bob looked around, ¡°no I can¡¯t say that I am.¡± Syl got up from the couch and drifted over to stand beside them both as the looked down at the planet. ¡°He¡¯s asking why he¡¯s not currently picking a terrible name and joining the Tutorial we spent a millennium crating together. ¡°Nine hundred years,¡± Bob Corrected, ¡°I tweaked the last one hundred so that¡¯s my accomplishment. But ill accept croup project.¡± ¡°Why do I feel like everything is not exactly resolved Bob, I thought that was why we were using up all that System Energy I had, so I wouldn¡¯t pop like a balloon the moment I completed the tutorial.¡± ¡°Well its interesting you bring up how long you were both messing about. To you it was maybe an hour that you remember. But it was a long time for someone who has just started their system initiation. Didn¡¯t effect Syl so much because she was a system entity. But you, your soul kind of grew and expanded.¡± ¡°And what does that mean exactly Bob?¡± The little man paused, as he thought something over. ¡°To put it in terms you should understand. I could put you down their but you wouldn''t exactly thrive. You would be a very big fish in a very little pond. Sure for a while you would grow exponentially at first, but even the the New System you would suffocate long before you find your path and reach your true potential. It could devastate even the potential of the galaxy itself, never-mind Earth or your family and friends.¡± ¡°So I cant go back, ill never see my family again?¡± he asked feeling the loss starting to sink in ¡°They are already in the tutorial. A very safe well calibrated tutorial thanks to you. And the New System has a much subtler rift process then the current one, so they should be fine. They might even get a title or too due to association with you you. You¡¯ve just technically made a massive sacrifice and save your home galaxy from destruction by a Higher System Authority that goes around deleting universes for his day job. No, its much better I move you to a world that¡¯s already progressed enough with its System Integration that you cant adversely affect it and it you, one a little better then F grade.¡± He didn ¡¯t have anything to say to that, he just looked down on earth already deciding he would return one day. ¡°Besides,¡± Bob clapped him on the back, ¡°you can¡¯t tell me you weren¡¯t somewhat prepared to be isekaid when you first noticed the System connection. I already have the perfect world lined up for you.¡± Bob said then turned and walked away from them both, ¡°Syls going to hate it.¡± The man muttering as he went away. It seemed Bob was giving them some time. Syl and him just looked down on the planet. ¡°Syl?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°This was your home too wasn¡¯t it? I mean, I don¡¯t remember our time together. but you were created here, and you lived hear for years.¡± He felt a cool feeling around his hand, and looked over to see a rather frustrated Syl trying to grip it, her tough peaking just outside the side of her mouth as she concentrated. "Aghem!" Bob let out an exaggerated cough, "we need to get you on your way to that new world. If I see one more mage initiate pick up a stick and yell some stupid combination of abbra kadabra at another goblin, I just might delete this planet as a System Threat." Stifling a laugh he realised no amount of looking at the planet would actually change things. But something was still bothering him. ¡°Bob, earlier, when we first met. were you testing me? telling me all about system authorities, purpose this purpose that. You wanted to know what I what I wanted, if I would just let her Die.¡± ¡°Ah that.¡± Bob turned and waved his hand again, Syl disappeared with yelp. Hey! Not cool! He heard her voice from the now familiar nowhere. Oooh this place has potential. She drifted away and somehow he knew Syl was exploring something he felt a strong connection to but had yet no way of comprehending. ¡°Your memory was wiped," Bob Said. "You don¡¯t even really know her anymore, at least not in the way you once did. I needed to know you understood the situation and weren''t just accepting my advice because the advice was given. When you leapt to the assumption I was here to save her and then to outrage when danced around my purpose. I was satisfied you could handle the responsibility.¡± ¡°Responsibility?¡± he asked. ¡°Look, I am nearly as old as the System itself, I have seen countless Authorities come and go. Not once has any of my kind gone beyond their purpose, not once interacting with anyone beyond their intended purpose. Sure maybe we twist things here and like I have done here. But nothing like Syl was doing with you towards the end, she is a true anomaly within the system itself. In a way I have grown to envy you mortals, the system lets you grow, you ascend and then some of you even become Gods. Sure its no System Authority but its better than never changing outside your defined parameters and purpose. ¡± Bob smiled sadly, ¡°it really is time. I''ve stretched my resources far thinner then I would like being here for so long, interacting in the way we have. IT may take some time for your new world to be ready for you, have your System Guide actually guide you. Your not getting an honest to good tutorial. Say good by to your body.¡± Bob finished and waved his hand, this time adding a little pomp to his oft now repeated action. With that the world around him twisted in on itself and he exploded, everything went black.
Shamiale was back in his office, outright ignoring the pile of notification and messages that had piled up. His disappearance had indeed been noticed. It was going to be interesting when those kids realise they are both system users. Categorising Syl as a System Guide was nothing more then a hasty patch job. It should obfuscate Things for a while. Well, he could have anchored her to her a body of her own and she would have realised what they had done immediately. But she needed a little more time to fully adapt to what she now was. that and rewarding a body like that would the use of far too much Authority for things that fell far outside his purpose, the others would take note. That and this way was far more interesting. Shamiale Grinned as he looked over the pulsing system messages lined up before him. Private System Event. ? A Progenitor System Branch has been detected! ? >Investigate Immediately< ? Recover any Progenitor System Authority discovered by any means necessary. ? Eliminate System Threats by any means necessary. ? Eliminate Progenitor System by any means necessary. Possible Rewards: ? Parameters Expanded ? Purpose Expanded ? System Authority > Warning: this System Event is Mandatory. < ? Failure to complete this Event to the Systems Satisfaction ? will result in immediate reabsorbtion. He had never hear of a System Authority receiving a Quest, not to mention an actual System Event. Private System Event Completed. ?All Tasks Completed. ?Bonus Tasks Discovered and Completed. ?Bonus task: Secured safe source of Progenitor System Energy. ?Bonus task: Secured safe source of Progenitor System Authority. Analysis: ?SSS The System is Satisfied. ?Issuing rewards. Shamiale had no clue what a Progenitor System was but could make some educated guesses. Whatever it was the System sure as hell wanted a piece of it. He also had a feeling the System was scared shit-less when it showed up out of nowhere. And to think he was allowed to talk directly with a System user. An Initiate of all things, not a god, moderator or administrator, just an lowly level 0 System Initiate. He found himself wondering how the System would actually expand his parameters, his purpose. What else would the System let him do now. The System Rewards those it finds useful. Chapter 5 - Clueless This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. You have been Obliterated by a System Authority. ?As this action was unsanctioned you will be compensated. Compensation: ?Your soul has been protected and your physical being will be restored when you exit the void and there is no longer any risk of immediate obliteration. Welcome to the Multiverse! ?The Multiverse is full wonders the likes you could never imagine. ?It is full dangers the likes you have never seen. ?You are not ready for this new world. But be not afraid! ?The tutorial you are about to enter will guide you as you find your place in this new world. You have been removed from System Integration Tutorial by a System Authority. Warning: You have not completed your System integration. ?All System Actions above Initiate Level Remain locked. ? ?A System Authority has added Manual System Integration to your available System Actions. Would you like to perform Manual System Integration? ?YES / NO YES / NO YES / YES Manual System Integration Initiated. Welcome Initiate ¡­ Significant detachment from current Name detected. ?Please Enter a Moniker you desire. This action can only be completed once without the use of a suitable identity changing skills, items- ? ?Before he could finish reading the list of ways he could change his names in the future he was grabbed by Syl and spun around to face her straight on. ? ? The Name Kai has been suggested by System Guide Sylph. ?Do you accept. ?YES / YES Significant attachment to the name Kai detected. Traits Discovered: Clueless: ?You have proven time and time again that you are clueless when it comes to women. ?Women who realise you are Clueless will be around 25% more likely to forgive you for being Clueless. Chapter 6 - Special Old Soul: ?Your soul while still simple in nature has grown beyond expectations of one so young. Paired Individual: ?Two souls, two minds and one connect. Everything that can be shared will be. ?Greater than the sum of your parts two plus two equals five. Nothings adds up the way it should. Uncredited Participation: ?You possess an accumulation of system energy that was once reserved for system rewards. Though you have sacrificed the majority of this energy back to the system much still remains. The remaining energy can be used as and when you wish to improve your future interactions with the System. Forbidden Knowledge: ?You posses forbidden knowledge that should have been completely wiped from your being. ?You cannot disclose forbidden knowledge. Abyssal Visitor: ?You have stared into the abyss before you were ready and survived. ?Your willpower is increased. System Protected: ?The System is currently protecting you from the effects of passing through the void. Manual System Integration Complete. Welcome to the Multiverse Kai. Status: Name: Kai ?Race: Inferior Human ?Level: 0 Constitution: Detached Physical Being, Mentally Exhausted, Needs to Sleep! Health: 71% ?Stamina: 85% ?Mana: 96% Physical Core: ( 88% ) Strength 4 ?Dexterity 6 ?Toughness 5 ?Vitality 4 ?Endurance 3 Mana Core: ( 12% ) Capacity 1 ?Control 0 ?Conversion 0 ?Absorption 1 ?Flow 1 Human - Inferior ?humans are one of the most common races within the multiverse, they are adaptable and fill many roles. This variety of human is currently inferior to most of their kin due to evolving on a world deprived of Eather effectively stunting their magical development. The System has a copy of your physical being waiting to be restored. Would you like to use available system energy to improve your race? YES / NO YES / NO YES / YES Sufficient energy found to change race. Would you like use your compatible racial templates to change race? ?YES / NO yes Preparing visual analogue for race change. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. [ Human - ( inferior ) > < Human - ( improved ) > < El ¡¯viairen > < Gnomel > < Goblin - ( Superior ) > < Orec ¡¯kien > < Dwarven ( > ) < High-Human - ( erRor ) Racial change accepted.
Status: Name: Kai ?Race: High-Human ?Level: 0 Constitution: Detached Physical Being, Balanced. Health: 100% ?Stamina: 99% ?Mana: 5% Physical Core: (50%) Strength 20 ?Dexterity 20 ?Toughness 20 ?Vitality 20 ?Endurance 20 Mana Core: ( 50% ) Capacity 20 ?Control 20 ?Conversion 20 ?Absorption 20 ?Flow 20 Race change complete Trait discovered: One of a kind: ?You are a unique. Trait applied: Adaptable Progeny: ?All your progeny are adaptable and will favour the adaptations, mutations and variations of your mate. Trait One of a kind Evolving: Special: ?You are one of a kind, truly unique. Chapter 7 - Little Girl Chapter 7 - Little Girl ¡°Are You ready?¡± Syl asked Kai as he fidgeted on her couch, in her living room, in her cottage. During his many long visits to the void Syl had worked wonders on what he now knew was a metaphysical representation of soul, building herself a beautiful lake house. You would of thought the idea of someone literately setting up house inside your soul, your personal domain, manipulating the very landscape on a whim would be disturbing. But he had a feeling this place was no longer his own, especially the home, the couch, Syl had even changed the bed. He had suggested separate rooms, personal spaces, Syl had shrugged and calmly explained to him that everything there was his personal space and he didn¡¯t need more. ¡°There¡¯s is not much else we can do here. No essence in the void to work with. Just big, creepy fuck off monsters.¡± Kai said, his knee bouncing as he talked. ¡°They weren¡¯t that bad, most of them were just trying to see what you were. Some were even saying hi.¡± Kai shuddered at the memories, ¡°the only reason I am not void meat right now is because there was nothing for them too eat, and when they tried to consume my soul the system rebuffed them.¡± ¡°I remember the shaking, and I¡¯m not sure it was the System itself. Probably one of our baby sitters.¡± He had no idea how long it took, he had lost track of how many times Syl had to come rescue him. Each time she pulled him back she seemed to be one state of undress or another, he didn¡¯t know if he looked forward to the times she recovered him or if he dreaded it. By the time he was starting to drag himself back on his own Syl had grown bored of teasing him and she had moved onto landscaping and property development. When he could finally come and go as he pleased Syl had moved onto interior design. When he was finally comfortable with spending time in the void, adapting to concepts far beyond mortal minds, beings beyond mortal conception came to visit. It was jarring to discover the place you had just about come to understand. A place that had no concept of time, no concept of space, no concept of just about anything had a very strong concept of lovecraftian horror. Syl had agreed with him when he had emphatically insisted they spend more time together from then on. However he had not expected most of their time together lying on his back trying to catch his breath as Syl had repeatably laid him out flat time after time. Syl had insist their time be used constructively, and that had meant day after day of here kicking his ass. He wanted to work on his build, figure out what skills to work towards and what skills to avoid. He had asked Syl about all the ways he had apparently exploited the system and had been disappointed to find out she had little to no advice on the subject. It was apparently something he needed to figure out on his own. He was a different person now, what worked once may not work a second time. That and what he had and hadn¡¯t done in the tutorials was one of the things she had given up, or had taken away, she wasn''t quite certain which it was anymore. Syl could remember the things he done, but she couldn''t quite remember how exactly he did those things. It was a weird distinction. Like getting drunk and walking home, in the morning you know you got home, but don¡¯t know how exactly you managed it. She had humoured him as he tried to tease information from what she did recall. But the more they talked the more distant Syl had become as the gaps in her memory grew more evident. He had tried to reassure her that it was natural to forget. Especially when the things you were trying to recall happened years, or decades even centuries ago. Syl had retired earlier that day and he¡¯d given her the space she needed to figure things out. The next time she appeared Syl was wearing combat gear, said something about him getting use to fighting life and death, then proceeded to kick his metaphysical ass. Syl had insisted she had no combat skills, never needed them as a system authority, but she never held herself back as she worked her way through one conjured weapon after another.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He had used the time to feel things out, to work on his own ability to create metaphysical objects, on his ability to not get beaten black and blue. In time, after possibly hundreds of beatings, he was able to sense Syl just before she pounced on him, able to switch from defence to attack and back again as needed. He was even getting use to conjuring his own gear, switching from one weapon to the next as Syl own weapons tore his apart in seconds despite how much he worked on his constructs durability. But never once had he beaten Syl, he had come close once or twice but whenever it came down to it Syl would suddenly speed up, react faster and hit much harder. His inability take her down infuriated Syl. She insisted he was holding himself back. He didn¡¯t agree but he had learned trying to argue that fact meant Syl next attack wouldn''t just put him on his back, she would tear him apart piece by piece. It was probably around about the hundredth time Syl had taken his head off both verbally and physically that he received a mandatory notification as he was waiting for his metaphysical neck to reconnect with his metaphysical body. Your connection to integrating world Alea has been approved. The world is ready and waiting for you. You have 24 hours to prepare. All of a sudden he had to apply the concept of time back to their day to day, and after what could have weeks or even months, time caught up to him all at once. Syl taken the time they had left to brief him on Alea, but that brief had turned out to be just that, brief. Alea was much like Earth, oceans, landmasses, the works. Except Alea had an abundance in eather and an abundance of eather meant an abundance of magic. That magic meant the sapient life Alea was far more varied. It was around then that he had made the mistake of saying Alea sounded like stereotypical high fantasy world and Syl had decided he could figure things out on his own. He had tried probing for more information but Syl had just shut him down. So he sat on her couch with just five minuets and counting. ¡°Remember what we practised?¡± Syl asked him. ¡°I cant believe you had me do that for an hour,¡± Kai said, doing his best to avoid the memory. ¡°Eh, cant access any of earths media anymore, had to entertain myself somehow.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± he said, still trying forget possibly the worst hour of his life. ¡°Oh yeah, tons, but times ticking.¡± Syl said as she curled back into her own giant personal plush white leather Bob chair. ¡°You¡¯ve had time to adjust to your new form, but that was here. Your new body might set you back again so be prepared for that. However it is System provided so it could just be perfect for you. So as long as you understand you might have to count your fingers or toes you should be fine. But I promise you, if you come out purple, unable to breathe, I¡¯m not smacking you on the ass until you cry,¡± Syl finished his lecture with a grin. ¡°You have to beg for that.¡± Kais knee stopped shaking, his brain had just overloaded with possibilities he couldn''t quite comprehend. ¡°What were the possible scenarios again?¡± she asked. ¡°Monsters, people. Wilderness, civilisation. Commoners, officials and nobility?¡± ¡°And your response to all of those?¡± ¡°Behave.¡± Kai said boiling it all down. ¡°And if that doesn''t work?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic?¡± ¡°And if that doesn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°Runaway like a little a little¡­¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know whats worse, the fact that you think I run like a little girl or the fact that its socially acceptable to boil things down to gender stereotypes.¡± ¡°Woke.¡± ¡°Weirdo.¡± ¡°From my point of view running like a little girl is the superior option. Besides you need to remember in the multiverse it all boils down to power. If they are weaker than you, which lets be honest no one is right now, you show them respect. But If they are the same power level as you?¡± ¡°I still show them respect?¡± he said, hoping it was the right answer. ¡°And what if they are more powerful than you?¡± ¡°I definitely show them respect,¡± he said once again hoping the answer would stick a second time. ¡°And if that doesn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°I run like a very, very fast athletic little girl.¡± ¡°Oh please little girls outrun little boys all over the multiverse. They only slow down to protect the little boy ego¡¯s. But if you happen to run away like a little boy and cant get away?¡± ¡°I beg you for help?¡± Syl just nodded. ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯ve got me whipped when it comes to our relationship,¡± he said still not entirely knowing what their relationship was exactly. ¡°Oh you love it.¡± Syl said as she manifested a tea cup to hide behind. ¡°Are you going to let me in on your plan?¡± ¡°I haven''t actually settled on a plan, I have concepts of a plan, but there so many possibilities. It all depends on what I can do. I¡¯m still figuring things out¡­ I might be able to show myself, I might not. But I¡¯m going to do my best not to interfere.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that for a second. from the moment you appeared in my life you¡¯ve done nothing but interfere.¡± Syl just levelled a look on him. ¡°I¡¯m not complaining.¡± Kai said hoping she wouldn¡¯t tear his head off again. Syl looked of into the distance. ¡°Times up. You ready? ¡°Fuck no.¡± You are leaving the void. System protection is about to expire. Warning: System protection will not be restored if you decide to return to the void in the future. Achievements upgraded:Abyssal Visitor has become Abyssal Walker. Trait expired:System protected. Awarding System Compensation.Sufficient energy found to improve System Compensation.Compensation improved to Greater Compensation. Again? just how much energy did he have left. He thought he had burnt the last of it on his race change, apparent not.
Despite the best laid plans of Syl the System Guide he found himself flat on his face. An almighty crack resounding throughout the chamber he found himself in. Getting up to his knees he pulled up his very loose pants and tightened his belt as much as he could. This was not at all what they had practised. But at least he remembered to pull his pants up before the room full of people got an eyeful of his fresh high-human junk. That hour of embarrassment wasn''t a complete waste. System event in progress. Please await the outcome of system event. Chapter 8 - Nothing Chapter 8 - Nothing Kai got up, double checking the fit of his pant as he rose to his full height and took in his new surroundings. He was standing in the centre of a large stone stage. The giant stone was riddled it cracks and fractures, a dim glow emanating from within the stone. Before him a series of what he could only describe as private booths. The majority of of which weren¡¯t actually occupied. Those that were had there own distinct set of individuals, all of them watched him closely. ¡®You got isekaid right onto a purpose built summoning stone¡­ a big one,¡¯ Syl said, her smooth voice entering his mind in a way he now considered telepathy. ¡®Don¡¯t do anything to spook the locals, play along till we know exactly what¡¯s going on.¡¯ As he looked out over the different parties he felt a wave of pressure wash over him, ¡®Syl what is happening?¡¯ ¡®They are examining you, or at least they are trying too.¡¯ He decide fair was fair, if they thought it was okay to examine him then he could do the same. He tried desperately to get his own examine off as he looked from one group to the next, they were getting restless, the pressure of there own examinations growing stronger by the second. Examine wasn¡¯t something he and Syl spent the time practising. Syl had explained it was a system action that he should instinctively know, technically a skill everyone was given hiding out as part of the system itself, but that was semantics. Things seemed to be getting borderline hostile as tall silver haired El¡¯vei man in fine man locked eyes with him and his examine skill finally triggered. Thanric An¡¯aladduin ( ??? ) Ambassador of the Tranquil Empire, The Sage. The man rose from his seat pressing his robes neatly and spoke. Addressing him directly, his words smooth and deliberate, almost lyrical. Kai listened intently, not wanting to be rude. The only issue, he didn¡¯t understand a word of it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, could you repeat that a little slower,¡± Kai said once the man finished, he was hoping the system would kick in and start translating for him. Kai once again had the rooms full attention. A few dozen sets of wide eyes directed his way as a fresh wave of examine landed on him. The room erupting in a raucous discourse that he realised he couldn¡¯t understand one word of. ¡®Syl? I think we have-¡° a problem. ¡®Hold, doing System Guide stuff.¡¯ ¡®Syl i-¡® need. ¡®Hold.¡¯ ¡®At least tell me why they keep hitting my with examines!¡¯ it was weird begging Syl for answers in his own mind, but he had not put learning a whole knew language on his to do list. He was terrible at languages back in school, so much so he had been excused from taking them. ¡®Its because you¡¯re passively resisting them. Most of these people are way higher level than you. They can detect how week you are and it baffles them that they can¡¯t actually examine you at the level they are use too. Something to do with your old soul and abyssal walker traits working together, now hold!¡¯ Syl said the last part with a tone of finality he decide best not to push. ¡®Fine, ill hold, but if you start playing crappy music ill ask to speak to your manager the first chance I get.¡± He heard a scoff and Syl mumbled, ¡®I am the manager.¡¯ He would wait and see what she was up to, it had to be something to help him out, she was bound to him after all. He had a strong feeling he was summoned to this room, this stage, for a reason and not wanting to upset a group of locals that apparently were a way higher level than him he sat down and waited. The room he had arrived in wasn''t actually that large, it just felt that way because of the sheer size of the stone stage he had peen placed so neatly upon. He rubbed his face, he could still feel a dull throb from where he had landed, but it seemed to be getting better by the second. The people who had been present for his arrival seemed to have been sequestered to the booths based on what he first though was their race, but upon closer inspection it had to be some other determinant factor. They were arranged in a large semi circle that seemed to put all the focus on him. Even the floating crystals that gave the room is light was directed his way. How anyone besides himself got in here he didn¡¯t know. There wasn¡¯t exactly an obvious entrance to the room, no archway, no door, not even an obvious hidden entrance. Just a solid stone wall surrounding the lot of them. Noting that plan little girl wasn¡¯t going to work in this situation he decided to fall back on behaving. Part of behaving was knowing what and or who you were dealing with. Examine had worked once for him, getting use to doing it with a captive audience couldn''t hurt too much. He wondered if it was considered rude, staring was considered rude, and in a way examine was a more invasive version of staring. He decided it didn''t matter right now, he was still being hit with the occasional examine. So fair was fair. All the way to one side of the room was the El¡¯viairen man that had tried talking to him earlier. He was in his own booth with no one else but a much younger El¡¯vei girl sitting to his side. She looked around eighteen years old, but he had no idea if El¡¯viaren were as youth-full as the stories of earth typically claimed. She was dressed from her neck down to her toes in tan and white leathers, her platinum blond hair kept back in a tight braid exposing her long slender elven ears. She was pretty, like Syl, just not quite as elegantly matured as she was. Alicia An¡¯aladduin Lv.5 El¡¯viairen Age.40 The moment he managed to examine her she looked up at him, her golden eyes caught his for just a second before she looked at the back her hand, inspecting her nails, instantly dismissing him. Surprised she was actually forty years old and still only level five he moved on made a quick mental note to get more information on the different races and shelved it with all the other mental notes he would forget to checkup on later. The booth next to them was full of Dwarves. One very impressively bearded fella surrounded by woman aged in what looked like their early twenties right through to their forties, possibly higher, he actually had no point of reference. He would have asked Syl, but she was currently mumbling a little tune. He was still on hold. The most difficult one to put an age to was the man, the male? How exactly did man and woman work with different races, he would use what he knew until corrected. His age was difficult to determine because only his forehead eyes and nose were visible the rest of him was hidden by a thick black, glossy beard that was just full of different braids, each braid adorned with charms, beads and jewellery. Starting at the mans nose and falling down to the mans belt without thinning in the slightest it was an impressive sight. Assuming the woman with him were also Dwarves as they seemed to match the guys stature ,he was a little disappointing they didn''t have beards of their own. All of their attention that had gone into the mans beard seemed to have gone into there hair instead. Though they each had one or two braids none had anywhere near the amount of accessories as the bearded fella. He would have assumed the man had some kind of harem situation going on but the poor guy looked a bit put under as he was currently getting a good talking to. Though maybe it was a harem and he just liked a good strong woman telling him whats what. Examining the poor guy as he nodded enthusiastically along with the woman crowding around him returned: Orrick Stormvairn ( ???) Chosen of The Houses, Master of his line. Like the higher level El¡¯viairan man he just got a name and what he assumed were titles. Checking on the woman that had been brow beating the guy the most got him: Etelle ( ??? ) Mistress of The House. No last name, but he didn¡¯t know what the cultural conventions were, Syl and himself hadn¡¯t even set a last name. Checking the next woman who was giving an powerful verbal lashing each time the first woman paused to catch her breath. Egrette ( ??? ) Mistress of The House. In fact, checking each of the woman in turn he found none of them had a last name like the man had. But each of them was the mistress of the house, he didn¡¯t know if it was the same house or an entirely different one. No matter what it was, it would have to be something he figured out as he gathered more information on the different cultures of Alea. Moving on again the next two booths were completely empty. The next occupied booth seeming to have required a bit of buffer. He immediately knew why. That booth gave him the creeps. There was a row of young men and woman, a mix of races, the same races he had been given the choice to choose from not so long ago. That and a few others that he hadn¡¯t been given the option. Humans, dwarves, elves, and a few more more beastly looking race individuals with furry little ears stood silently at the back. All of them wearing the same impossibly white thin linen uniform. They didn''t move, didn¡¯t even fidget, just stared straight ahead, not one of them paying him any attention. Checking one out of curiosity he was shocked when he got nothing back. It wasn''t that his examine failed, they just had no identity. ¡­ Lv.10 El¡¯viaran Age.17 He checked another. ¡­ Lv.10 Human Age.16 And another. ¡­ Lv.10 Leonid beastkin Age.21 They were all the same, it was eary, they didn¡¯t even react to his examination: they just stood, motionless staring off into nothing. In front of them sat a middle aged human man lounging back in heavy plate armour as a beautiful El¡¯viairen woman attended to him. Caradin Arellabast ( ??? ) Emperor, king, lord and master of the Shattered Kingdoms, Master of chains, The Conjurer, Bringer of Faith, The Undefeated, The Despised, The Terrible, Hand of Themagol. Just looking in the mans direction gave him the creeps. Waves of pressure emanated from the man, he seemed entirely indifferent to the space the other parties were giving him and his party Kai didn¡¯t want the guy catching him showing any interest so he moved on as soon as he got a successful examination hoping it wouldn¡¯t draw any attention. Another two booths along there was something entirely new to him, well partially new: He had just seen similar people within the row of really creepy identity-less line people. There was woman, curled up, snoozing, against the chest of a giant white wolf that encircled her protectively. The furry cat ears atop her head twitched as he looked her way, she must have sensed something as she cracked an amber eye to look back him before he had even tried examining her. Aniceia Arroki ( ??? ) Pack Master of the Arroki, Chosen of The Kin. The fur on the nape of the wolfs neck rose sharply the moment his examine triggered on the woman, but with a swish of her long feline tail the giant canid visibly relaxed. Her own feral eye closing a moment later as she grinned a sharp toothed smile and curled back into the beautiful beast she was using as a giant pillow. Dire Wolf ( ??? ) No name, did that mean the wolf was a monster, a tame of some kind. ¡®Hey Sy-¡® ¡®What part of hold do you not get!¡¯ He immediately shelved his questions about his chance¡¯s of getting a big pet dog on this world for later, he had always wanted a dog maybe he could get one sooner than later. Ooh what about something more mythical, dragons could be a thing here. In the very next booth was a singular human man. He wore a smart robe that seemed a bit more functional than luxurious. Dim Cickle lv.21 Human Age.53 First minister of the city state of Kackle. He did not look anywhere near fifty three. No where near as youthful as the forty year old el¡¯viairen woman in the first booth. He would have guessed the man was in his early thirties. Maybe the years on Alea were much shorter. Syl had already said people got closer to their ideal as they levelled. But the woman was only level five, looked around eighteen whilst actually in her forties. Nothing made sense. Another thing to ask Syl when he wasn¡¯t on hold. The mans eyes moved about nervously, he hadn''t actually reacted to Kai¡¯s examination. He just sat in his chair trying to look as small as possible. Kai got the feeling the man had come not knowing what company he would keep. The booth next to him was dominated by three very large, very powerful looking orec¡¯kien woman that seemed to be running a daycare of manic pink goblins. Only slightly surprised that they were deep shades of red instead of the stereotypical green-skins his old worlds fiction. He recalled his race change had shifted into the same hue before Syl passed the race by. He focused in on the the orc sitting in the centre of the booth, picking her out as the one in charge as she nodded patiently along older looking goblin in a formal looking suit of all things as he went over a piece of parchment. Lela Enrock ( ??? ) Voice of the clans, Speaker of dawn, Binder of Pacts. The intimidating red woman noticed his examination and gave him a vivacious tusked grin, winking at him provocatively before he could break eye contact. He knew that look, it was one Syl liked to tease him with from time to time. Muscle mommy was not his type, so as soon as her look registered and his brain caught up he shifted his attention. Not even sparing the time to scan anyone else lest she take his continued examinations as approval. A barrier around the next booth popped and buzzed quietly as indistinct shapes and shadows shifted silently inside. ¡®Ignore that one, you do not want the attention of the fey.¡¯ Syl said. ¡°It¡¯s weird that they¡¯re here at all. So far they seem to be focusing on the fact they¡¯re stuck in the booth. Fey don¡¯t like feeling trapped, they typically do the trapping, its usually their thing¡¯ ¡®Weird that I didn¡¯t notice them till now.¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s the fey¡¯s doing too. They don¡¯t like attention, especially when they feel trapped.¡¯ ¡®What am I supposed to be doing here? Am I still on hold? ¡®Yes. There¡¯s a system timer. I¡¯m requesting info from the local System. Sit down and shut up. Try those breathing exercises we went through.¡¯ Kai sighed, he was already sitting but he let it slide. Syl didn''t like it when he got smart with her. Probably far more used to working to a system timer than he would like to admit he did as Syl suggested. Crossing his legs beneath himself he took in a deep breath. He ignored the fresh wave of examinations as air filled his lungs and he realised there was something different about the air here. Despite being sealed inside a chamber with no windows doors or vents of any kind the air felt fresh, better then fresh. This was apparently due to the high amount of natural magic Alea had. It was everywhere, in everything and with his vastly improved mana core courtesy of his new race he could literally breath it in. It was his absorption, conversion and flow stats that dictated how well he could breath in the mana, but apparently focus and technique could improve it too. Syl had taught him this was one of the many ways he could refill his mana faster and that he would want to learn the active skill as soon as possible. With work and a bit of time he could improve the skill to have more positive effects on his passive mana regeneration.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. In a long drawn out fight it could mean a few more spells or magical augmentations which could be the difference between life and death. There was allot of things that could mean life and death according to Syl, he tried not to dwell on it. He didn¡¯t have the first clue about magic itself but apparently this was a first step to many things. Even if he didn¡¯t go down a magically focused path this basic meditation had other positive effects on his physical self, going so far as helping to restore his health and restore his stamina. So again in a long drawn out fight it could mean life and death. At the moment the effects would be minimal. The boost to stamina and health a byproduct of fresh mana flowing through his channels, whatever they were, and bleeding out to restore his other aspects. Technically it was him being inefficient with the mana he was taking into his system, but as he couldn''t actually detect that mana yet to help guide it, there was little he could do about it. If someone wanted too they could intentionally direct the mana to restore health and stamina instead of filling their mana core. Which was why despite him not knowing what path he planned on taking Syl had insisted on him getting the skill. Syl had mentioned a system timer, but she had failed to mention how long that timer was. So he just sat there, taking in one deep steady breath after another. Trying to feel the power sources he would need to make literal magic happen as he took it into himself. He felt nothing beyond the air filling his lungs, but it was sharp, different to back on earth so he hoped he was doing something right. He had been warned it wasn¡¯t something everyone could learn, some people just weren''t cut out for magic. But with his race Syl said she would be surprised if he couldn¡¯t, just that it might be a matter of time. Realising he had had let his mind wander a bit he was surprised to feel a distant notification pulse softly as it let him know it wanted his attention. Pulling himself form his meditation he acknowledged it. Skill Acquired: Sloppy Meditation. You have learnt that though delibrate focus many things are possible. 3% boost to mana recovery, 1% boost to Stamina Recovery and a 1% boost to health recovery. How those percentages translated he didn¡¯t know exactly, and he felt his meditation hadn¡¯t been sloppy at all. But at least he had gotten something. ¡®Took you less time then I thought it might, you sense anything?¡¯ Syls asked suddenly ¡®Nope, air feels crisper here, that¡¯s about it.¡¯ ¡®Works better when your mana is near depletion, your body naturally draws more in so its easier to get a sense for it. Detecting it outside your body, even seeing it, that¡¯s the hard part.¡¯ ¡®Got another skill for you. You ready to see what these people have to offer?¡¯ Skill Acquired: Omniglot. ¡®Whats omniglot do? The skill doesn''t have a description.¡¯ ¡®Oh that, I was shooting for the just the local languages. I would have been happy if we at least got what passes for the common tongue. But the System eventually got back to me with this. I technically still know every language past and present from before, the system stepped in and let me pass that on. Why do you think I¡¯ve had you on hold for so long. Sorry about the headache.¡¯ ¡®What head-¡® He was glad he was sitting down. had he not been he would have back to lying flat on his face. Cradling his head he felt like his brain exploded and turned to slush inside his skull as billions of new pathways formed as his mind was flooded with information. It only lasted a moment, but that alone was enough for him to reassess what agony truly meant. Blinking in an attempt to clear his head of any lingering pain he noted a distinct shift in the room. The constant indistinct murmur he couldn''t understand came into focus and he realised he could understand what people were saying. ¡°Whats the bairn up to know, we got bare minuets left to come up with a decent bid and he¡¯s just sitting there holding his head, bleadin¡¯ out of his ears and nose like his mama just gave him a well deserved smack.¡± Said the one of the dwarven woman in a thick accent he couldn¡¯t quite place yet somehow totally understood. ¡°Sorry about that. Just got a new skill from- ¡®My system guide.¡¯ Syl prompted him. -my system guide.¡± Kai finished. ¡°New skill? System guide?¡± he watched as the woman eyes went wide in horror, ¡°you¡¯re using the thick tongue!¡± ¡°You dare use the Thick tongue,¡± Orrick, stepped forward his beard jingling as he moved, ¡°when I get out of this ere booth.¡± His eyes seemed to bulge as a massive rune worked sword appeared in his fist. ¡°Relax friend Orrick, he meant no offence.¡± came a smooth voice, it was Thanric the El¡¯vei man in just one booth over. ¡±Observe,¡± The El¡¯vei turned to address Kai directly, ¡°Greetings, my name is Thanric An¡¯aladduin, Ambassador of the Tranquil Empire but most know me simply by my preferred title, The Sage.¡± ¡°Greetings Thanric, names Kai, no titles, but I suspect everyone here got that much with their many, many attempts to examine me. I really did mean no offence,¡± Kai said looking between both the him and the dwarven man, ¡°I don¡¯t even know what the Thick tongue is. This world is entirely new to me.¡± Thanric smiled, ¡°Impeccable nirashii, always wondered how was meant to sound,¡± he said as he turned back to Orrick, ¡°I believe our friends new skill was one of language, somehow the system is assisting him and he doesn¡¯t even know it.¡± ¡°Aye, seems so.¡± Orricks sword vanished. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m still a little lost.¡± Kai said trying to get a bit more information. ¡°Ah I spoke to you in three languages, one my own, another the common tongue of Alea, and the third long forgotten to all but the most cloistered of scholars. You even spoke the thick tongue as a native not a friend. Tell me, did you even notice.¡± Kai shook his head, ¡°I couldn¡¯t understand a word before. Got the skill just now your all speaking English so far as I can tell.¡± He said as he used the hem of his t-shirt to clean the blood from his nose and ears. It was all he had, and it was black so it shouldn¡¯t cause an obvious stain. ¡°He best be careful who he goes talking to,¡± Orrick said, ¡°he hasn¡¯t earned the right, a lesser dwarf would cut him down to size. Stones he needs to come with us.¡± The room had gone silent as almost everyone seemed to be listening in on there conversation. But Orricks declaration that Kai should come with us caused someone to scoff dramatically. ¡°I think I like him now,¡± the creepy man spoke up. He had risen from his lounging position and seemed to study Kai intently. ¡°if anyone interferes with my bid I promise the might of the kingdoms will-¡° ¡°Oh please it¡¯s called the shattered kingdoms for a reason, all the minor powers you could bully Caradin had sense enough not to come,¡± one of the orec¡¯kien woman said interrupting him. ¡°Your going to have come up with a promising bid if you don¡¯t want to go back to your middling lands empty handed. Besides we like him too, he looks to be of quality stock. Especially if his knew skill lets him truly sing the songs of our people,¡± another orec¡¯kien said. ¡°Songs of your people?¡± Kai asked Thanric coughed, ¡°mating songs.¡± Kai turned a deep shade of red, the orcs would break him in two. ¡°See he wants to come with us, he is already adopting the true colours!¡± roared the centre-most orc, Lela Elrock. As her booth began to roar with laughter and giggling goblins. ¡®Want backup?¡¯ Syl asked him in the privacy of his own mind. He just nodded. ¡®Going with plan Will-o''-the-wisp.¡¯ ¡®Will-o''-the-wisp?¡¯ ¡®Yeah, you¡¯ll find it familiar and it shouldn¡¯t blow their minds too much with true fey hanging about.¡± A ball of ethereal cyan flame, tinged with a hint of crimson, appeared beside him. The room grew quiet again as dozens of examines shot off at once. Only the sound of orcs and goblins remained as in their amusement they hadn¡¯t noticed the little floating flame manifest. Syl just shot off from where he floated heading straight for the orec¡¯kien booth killing their raucous laughter instantly. Syl was able to pierce the protective barrier of the booth and she moved to flit around the heads of the three orc women, ¡°no sing, you not worthy,¡± Syl said in a childish sing song voice. ¡°What is this?¡± Lela asked sounding amused as the goblins in her company focused on their sudden intruder. ¡°That would be Syl, my System Guide.¡± The murmurs grew louder again. ¡®Syl I swear, if you start floating around saying hey listen !¡¯ he said inside hoping Syl could hear him through their connection. ¡®Relax, I think Alea is way too far for them to send a cease and desist letter, besides I¡¯m not a glowing fairy, not much they could do if I did.¡¯ ¡®And don¡¯t get any ideas about singing for any orcs, these ladies would wear you down to nothing.¡¯ ¡®Already thought of that.¡¯ ¡®I bet you did you naughty boy.¡¯ Ignoring Syl as she zipped out of the orcs booth Kai got up and approached the edge of his platform off to the side closest to the dwarves and Thanric. ¡°Thanric, Orrick, Ladies. Can anyone of you be so kind as to explain whats happening? Why I¡¯m here?¡± Orrick went to open his mouth but was pulled back by one of the woman in his cadre pulled him back. ¡°Kai, What do you think is happening?¡± Thanric asked him as he too approached the edge of his booth. ¡°I was sent here by a¡­¡± Kai suddenly realised he couldn¡¯t say System Authority in front of these people. ¡°I was sent here by the System when my home world started system integration.¡± ¡°Interesting, is there anymore you can divulge.¡± ¡°I was told i would be going somewhere I could thrive. The perfect world for me apparently.¡± The dwarves all watched the el¡¯vei man. ¡°I detect no lies,¡± Thanric said to the waiting dwarves. ¡°Tell me, what is your current level? You have no distinguishable aura, at least not in the traditional sense, and you resist examination. All we got was your name.¡± ¡°Zero, didn¡¯t even get to participate in my worlds tutorial. I was pulled out and sent here instead.¡± ¡°Stones, whats the system playing at.¡± He heard one of the dwarven women mutter. ¡°He truly is a bairn fresh from his mothers teat.¡± ¡°I think we are about to find out.¡± Orrick said as he look off to the side. Time for deliberation has ended, submit your bids. ¡°Whats the bidding for?¡± Kai asked as he got a very bad feeling. ¡°Oh, the usual, control, power, wealth, the fate of our world and you...¡± Thanric said as he turned and headed back to his seat. Dim Cickle has withdrawn from the bidding. There was a yelp as the solitary man disappeared from his booth the instant the system message appeared. No one still presents paid it much attention. Caradin Arellabast has submitted their first bid on behalf of the. Noble title of Viscount and all associated rights and honours. Appropriate lands and other such holdings withing the borders of the shattered kingdoms territory. 5000 serfs to work awarded lands. 1000 platinum crowns. Required: System backed Oath of Fealty to Caradin Arellabast and his line in perpetuity. Kai looked over at the man, he had returned to lounging in his booth. A pretty young human woman now attending to him. Kai had the feeling the man was deliberately acting as if he hadn¡¯t just offered up a part of his kingdom and the lives of thousands. Lela Enrock has submitted their first bid on behalf of the united clans. Mating rights. Right to participate in the hunt. Right to participate in raiding parties. No tribute required for 1 decade. Access to the trials. Required: System backed pledge, 10 strong children capable of passing the trials. Well he wasn''t going to give the orcs the pleasure of seeing him react to that one. Still he felt a mild bit of heat in his cheeks. Aniceia Arroki on behalf of the united tribes of beasts and The kin. The Protection of the pack. Required: System backed pledge, Contribute to the pack for a minimum 2 decades. Well that could mean anything, at least he didn¡¯t have to find the time to pop out ten children anytime soon. Orrick Stormvairn has submitted their first bid on behalf of the greater houses. Gear appropriate for a level 0. Masterwork gear at level 10. Tailored Masterwork gear set at level 25. A curated supply of recovery items. Free Room and Board at any Guild house. Required: System backed pledge, loyalty to the Houses for 5 decades. Five decades felt like a bit much, but he didn¡¯t know how to quantify the rest of the bid. Orrick was grinning at him like a mad man, the women with him all nodding appreciatively. Syl had come over at some point and was floating around the bearded mans head. ¡°Can someone please explain these bids, each one requires a decade or of my time. And Who is going to decide which bid wins?¡± Kai asked not a little worried he might be forced into an agreement he didn¡¯t like. Thanric An¡¯aladduin has submitted their first bid on behalf of the Tranquil Isles and its greater Empire. Become an apprentice to Thanric An¡¯aladduin, the Sage of Alea. Required: System backed pledge, loyalty to the Tranquil empire for 3 decades. ¡°Its the system event,¡± Thanric answered, ¡°each party present must propose a bid, but the system is forcing an equal or mutual gain contract, I could set no lower then three decades when offering you an apprenticeship.¡± Thanric turned and gestured to the elf girl beside him, ¡°I wish my current apprentice would also come to value my time and effort as much as the system does.¡± She just looked off to the side, ¡°I endeavour to do better master.¡± ¡°Yes, I would hope you would,¡± Thanric said before turning back to Kai. ¡°As far as who decides which bid wins. The system will not force anything like a contract on an unwilling participant. so I believe it is you who will decide our fates." The Fey have submitted a bid on behalf of the fey realms of Alea. Become Fey. Required: Become Fey. All bids submitted. The bids will now be shared. Kai has 30 minuets to select a winning bid. If no bids are selected there will be a 5 minuets intermission to prepare and submit a new bid. The bid of Caradin Arellabast has been rejected. The bid of Lela Enrock has been rejected. The bid of the Fey has been rejected. ¡°That was quick.¡± Orrick said his bear jingling as he nodded along with his cadre. ¡°Wasn''t me.¡± ¡°Terrible, naughty, nasty bids.¡± Syl chimed childishly. ¡°Caradin is not going to like that.¡± Orrick whispered into his beard Kai looked over to see Caradin up on his feet staring daggers at him. the poor El¡¯vei woman who must have been serving him on the floor cradling a broken face, blood pouring from the fresh wound. No one moving to help her, she didn¡¯t even whimper. ¡°Not good enough for you! What could a peasant like you possibly want? whatever you want I can get it for you. Join me, I can give you whatever you desire. Wealth you never dreamed of,¡± Caradin said with certainty at a volume just shy of shouting. ¡°Not too interested in wealth. And the title and lands just sounds like a lot of work, a poor peasant like myself wouldn''t know where to start.¡± Kai said knowing he could barely look after himself. He turned away from the man not wanting to acknowledge him anymore than he had to. The young el¡¯vei girl Alicia caught his attention immediately as she was studying him intently, Syl slowly circling her. ¡°Oh, you want a woman? I can get you any women you could ever want: el¡¯ve women, beast women, gnomes, children. You like that little el¡¯vei girl over there. I have hundreds, you can take your pick. when your done you can pick another.¡± ¡°Oh hell no!¡± Kai said raising his voice above Caradin¡¯s own. His stomach turning violently as barely contained rage building inside him. ¡°If not woman, men then, boys? I can fulfil you deepest darkest desires.¡± ¡°What makes you think-¡° Kai didn''t even get to finish his sentence before Caradins booth shimmered and everyone in it just vanished leaving only a fresh blood stain behind. Caradin Arellabast has been rejected three times. ¡°That is going to be a problem isn''t it,¡± Kai said to both Thanric and Orrick. ¡°That man is a problem for everyone. But yes you may be the focus of his ire for a while.¡± Thanric replied to Kais rhetorical question. ¡°Bad man, weak. weak god, mess with worlds integration, stall peoples development,¡± Syl said practically singing the words. She paused in front of the el¡¯vei girl and started to bob up and down as she a piece of paper appeared just in front of her. Thanric was too busy sharing a look with Orrick and the other Dwarves. ¡°I suggest we leave this discussion for the council.¡± ¡°About our bid?¡± Orrick asked Kai. Letting his rage at Caradin go for now Kai looked over the dwarves bid again, ¡°It¡¯s difficult, gear sounds good. But I don¡¯t know how hard gear is to come by. I don¡¯t even know if masterwork is actually any good. I¡¯m new to the System, I¡¯m new to this world.¡± ¡°Offers too much, requires too much, could interfere with Kai finding his true path.¡± Syl said, still hovering next to Alicia. ¡°I know many who would kill for a single piece of master worked gear, never mind a full set,¡± Thanric said. ¡°The pledges too are a big problem for me, I don¡¯t know any of you. That Caradin guy was a real piece of work but imagine he played things much better. Imagine he fooled me into accepting his bid.¡± Kai couldn''t help but shudder. ¡°And don¡¯t think I haven''t notice the others over there eyeballing me like a piece of meat.¡± Kai said as he looking over to see Lela blow him a kiss. ¡°Aye,¡± Orrick chuckled, ¡°you did give everyone a proppa good eye full when you arrived. Even my ladies were impressed, and they are used to the good stuff.¡± Orrick gave him a cheeky wink as Mistress Etelle Punched him hard in the arm. ¡°Oh I thought I caught myself in time.¡± ¡°No, you floated there for a good ten seconds before you landed on your face. Not sure if it is the fashion where you came from but your style of dress seems a little¡­¡± Thanric said leaving his true opinion unspoken. Kai looked down and adjusted his jeans again. ¡°Yeah, I wasn''t exactly given the chance to change before I got here.¡± ¡°You need not worry about the others, Anicia is here as an observer. Her people are nomadic and have already made an agreement. We all have, even the Orec clans have a tentative agreement with The Houses.¡± ¡°So they weren''t serious about the whole children and mating rights thing?¡± He watched as the booth full of dwarven women just turned to him with looks ranging from amusement right through to outright pity. Even Alicia too took a moment from Syl took at him with something like pity and curiosity. ¡°No orcs where you come from?¡± Thanric asked. ¡°Just humans. Though allot of our fiction features the beauty of elves, the skill of dwarves and the er- barbarous nature of orcs.¡± ¡°Interesting, elves you say not El¡¯vei, very interesting,¡± Thanric said as he cupped his chin thoughtfully. ¡°Then what do you want?¡± Estelle asked taking the lead of the conversation and setting it back on track, ¡°It seems your not going to accept our bid. Tell us what you want? Name your price.¡± ¡°Well I clearly need a change of clothes, training and some gear¡­¡± ¡°That what you need,¡± Estelle stepped in front of Orrick, ¡°we thought of all that when we found out you were still at level zero, tell us what you want and maybe the cost wont seem so steep.¡± Kai looked at Syl, she was still hovering next to Alicia who now held several pieces of paper, each one turning to dust as she dropped it to the floor. He got an idea as he watched Syls non physical manifestation pulse, ¡°A body?¡± he asked tentatively. They all just looked at him in confusion. ¡°One that I can give my system guide.¡± Kai said quickly hoping to avoid a misunderstanding. ¡°Like a golem?¡± one of the female dwarves he hadn¡¯t examined spoke up. ¡°No you idiot, golems work on Instruction sets. We would need to completely rework its matrix. That¡¯s even if it was possible.¡± Another said shutting them down. Kai grimaced as he imagined Syl trying to tease him as a giant hulking clay figure ¡°Isn¡¯t that mad woman working on automata powered by elemental cores. Supposedly they maintain the temperament and rudimentary intelligence of the elemental used. That might work.¡± Another dwarven woman offered. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Estelle interrupted, ¡°I just tried adding it to our bid, system rejected it. The offer of a theoretical body for the system guide isn¡¯t something we can guarantee.¡± ¡°Stones and low ceilings. Thought we were onto something there.¡± Orrick said, ¡°What about you sage, any ideas?¡± ¡°I suppose it might be possible with necromancy, but that has been outlawed for centuries. Even if it was allowed for diplomatic reasons I doubt there is anyone skilled enough. Caradin might have someone tucked away experimenting in secret. But I don¡¯t think you are foolish enough to sell your soul to that man.¡± The mental image of a decaying Syl had Kai speak up, ¡°I was thinking more of a natural flesh and blood body, unused.¡± He saw the dwarves deflate at the mention of flesh and blood. Thanric however was still thinking things over. ¡°Beyond receiving a boon from a god I don¡¯t see a way of getting an actual body for your guide. There is the possibility of a system reward.¡± The dwarves came back to life. ¡°We control a number of reward dungeons. We can give priority access.¡± ¡°No good, those dungeons are all above level fifty, I can¡¯t even verify we will maintain control over them when he reaches that level.¡± Estelle said. ¡°Elf tits!¡± Orrick groaned. Alicia jumped to her feet, her golden eyes wide. ¡°Master.¡± ¡°Orrick please, such idioms may be commonplace but Alicia is-¡± ¡°No master, look.¡± Alicia said as she passed Thanric a piece of gilded card. Thanrics eyes tightened almost imperceptibly as the card he was reading suddenly turned to dust in his hand. To his credit he collected himself quickly and he turned to Alicia to give her his full attention. ¡°Alicia if you choose to do this you must do so on your own. I am bound by agreements and oaths sworn between the Houses and The Empire. You are not. I¡¯m not even sure this will be possible.¡± Alicia nodded. Alicia An¡¯aladduin has submitted a personal bid. Nothing. Required: Nothing. Bid shared. Orricks eyes went wide, ¡°there¡¯s a flamin loophole!¡± ¡°Orrick you handsome fool, there¡¯s always a flamin loophole!¡± Cried Estelle. ¡°But the event says whosoever offer is accepted will control the world wonder. Nothing was actually offered.¡± Orrick said as he started stroking his beard abashed at Estelle¡¯s chastisement. ¡°Taking too long, requirements too high, I made quest, only way.¡± Syl sang as she danced around the dwarves heads. ¡®I made an offer to the girl, she accepted, now its your turn,¡¯ Syl said directly to him. ¡®Unless you want to make a system pledge and put at least the next twenty years of your life in the hands of another,¡± ¡®The Dwarves seem upset,¡¯ Kai replied as he noticed a few grumbles. ¡®Do you want to sit here and negotiate? The systems enforcing mutual return on whatever they offer and as you have nothing but the shirt off your back to offer them you''ll always get screwed.¡¯ ¡®I could offer to do something.¡¯ ¡®Wont work, has to be something you can do or give now.¡¯ ¡®Even the children thing.¡¯ ¡®Technically that¡¯s possible: they¡¯re already planning a similar bid, now that they know your only a level zero system virgin they might just be gentle.¡¯ ¡°So, if I accept this bid will there be political ramifications?¡± Kai asked hoping he wouldn¡¯t stir up any more trouble then he had with Caradin. ¡°Many,¡± Thanric said, ¡°but the main point of the agreements made were to prevent Caradin from winning the auction. It was agreed that The Houses were the most likely to outbid the combined wealth of the shattered kingdoms, whilst remaining the most neutral party when it came to managing things. ¡°Aye, then you showed the foppish git what he is worth to yah,¡± Estelle said ¡°no, the houses will hold no grudge, no bargain was broken.¡± She looked around and one by one each mistress of the house nodded. ¡°We actually have a clause in all our agreements that should we not win the bid we gain certain other rights.¡± Estelle grinned. ¡°You do?¡± Thanric asked not sound at all surprised. ¡°Loopholes,¡± Syl sang more cheerfully than ever as she span around Thanric giggling. Thanric shrugged, ¡°I suppose I should have known.¡± Thanric turned his attention back to Alicia, ¡°are you sure you are okay with this, you know what it means. Your still just a child and you¡¯ve only just been granted permission to advance.¡± Alicia looked away, her cheeks changing to a distinct shade of red Kai knew all to well. A moment passed before she turned to Kai, looked him up and down, thought for a moment more, then nodded. ¡°Okay then, I accept the bid of Alicia An¡¯aladduin.¡± Kai said meeting her golden eyes. The bid of Alicia An¡¯aladduin has bee accepted. A window popped up in front of Kai as a gilded piece of paper formed out of nothing in front of Alicia A Mutual contract has been offered. Nothing is required of the other, simply an agreement between equals. Do you accept this binding contract? He looked past his floating message box to see a pair of golden eyes locked on him. There was an odd feeling of something settling over him as he mentally accepted the contract. Thanric somehow sensing his agreement started clapping, ¡°Sietra is going to kill me.¡± The room erupted, the dwarves all applauding and stamping their feet in rhythm whilst the orcs and goblins whooped and hollered on the other side of the room, even Anicia was standing in her booth clapping. ¡°Whats happening?¡± Kai asked. ¡°About that.¡± Syl said. As nothing was exchanged, control of the World Wonder of Alea will remain with Kai. They have 1 year to decide where the World Wonder will set down and establish a controlling authority. The auction is now over. All participating parties will be returned to their point of origin. ¡°Looks like we will be seeing each other again soon enough.¡± Orrick said just as everything twisted and went black. Chapter 9 - All in on Alicia Chapter 9 - All in on Alicia He was engaged. Technically married, but as they had not received the blessing of Alicia¡¯s mother, he was only considered engaged for now. What was worse is Alicia was technically a child in the eyes of the el¡¯vei, she was just a little older than him, but still just a child within her culture. Thanric had given him a brief explanation of what had just happened after they left the auction. As it was the first thing The Sage had chosen to explain to him he spiralled into a state of shock and failed to comprehend the rest of their conversation. Alicia had just disappeared to her own quarters, Syl following after her for some unknown reason. Leaving him alone with Thanric as if he wasn¡¯t suddenly having a personal crisis. The elderly el¡¯vei man took him to his quarters to find him some clothes that fit better. Thanric was just as tall as him, but he was of a much lighter build, thankfully he had some old travelling cloths that were easily adjusted to fit much better than the jeans and T-shirt combo he currently wore. He had been handed the new clothes and just changed into them in a daze. Before he knew it he was wearing loose white linen shirt and a pair of tough leather trousers with lacing running up the side of each each leg. Thanric had helped him adjust things to fit as he had no experience using anything other then a zip, buttons or a belt to put trousers on. Just as he had been put in a chair and given a pair of mid calf boots to put on Syl had reappeared. Bobbed in front of Thanric for a bit and then the next thing he knew he was being directed through a portal into a dungeon. You are entering a trials dungeon. Entry level limit lv.1 to lv.10 Party members: Kai Lv.0 Sylph lv.0 Alicia Lv.5 Stumbling through the portal he appeared in a small round room. Lit by a dim crystal set in the ceiling. The room was bare stone from floor to ceiling with only the open portal he had just entered through behind him and a archway to a narrow corridor leading off somewhere hidden in shadows ahead of him. Just as he was getting his bearings Syl appeared just in front of him floating in her wisp form. ¡°You might want to step out of the way.¡± She said her flame flaring as she spoke. ¡°Wuh-¡° he said still a little slow on the uptake. Next thing he knew he nearly knocked off his feet as Alicia came through the portal just behind him. Turning around he was met with a glare from the little el¡¯vei woman, girl? Looking down on her from this close he noted how short she actual was, it didnt seem right with her being the stereotypical beautiful, youthful, elven woman in every other way. She was wearing the same leathers she had on at his auction. But she had come equipped with a short sword on one hip, the other a belt quiver stuffed with arrows. Several slim knives strapped to her thigh. And on her back was securely strapped a little leather pack that seemed a bit too small to carry anything substantial. Alicia even held a simple yet functional short bow in one hand and had an arrow at the ready in the other. You couldn¡¯t get any more stereotypical elven then that, beside maybe a mage or healer of some kind, he thought to himself. ¡°What are you staring at?¡± she asked frowning up at him. ¡°How tall are you, I mean in comparison to other el¡¯viaran?¡± he asked before he could stop himself. Her frown deepened, ¡°I was about five three last time I checked, but I still have another ten years or so to reach my full height. Why do you ask?¡± There was a flare of light as Syls little wisp form erupted in a cascade of cyan flame revealing her true form. ¡°Where he comes from your kind are typically described as taller than humans, he¡¯s still adjusting to the difference in reality and popular fiction.¡± Alicia looked Syl up and down, ¡°System Guide, when you told me that was not your true form I was not expecting this.¡± ¡°Why, are you jealous?¡± Syl said as she did a little spin showing of her figure. She was wearing the combat gear she had used when beating him black and blue. ¡°And I told you to call me Syl.¡± ¡°No I¡­ Syl, your eyes, they glow too.¡± Alicia asked as she looked between the two of them. ¡°Yes, I believe it¡¯s a physical trait of our race, not sure if it actually does anything.¡± ¡°Your race? Its not something unique to Kai, like a skill he has?¡± Alicia asked as she stepped forward, reached out with both hands to make Kai look down at her so she could examine his eyes more closely, ¡°interesting.¡± ¡°My eyes glow?¡± Kai asked remembering he still hadn¡¯t gotten a good look at himself since his race change as the visual analogue had already disiapeared when he came to. ¡°Light blue with a hint of purple closer to pupil, central heterochromia,¡± Alicia said holding his head in a vice like grip. ¡°Why? Do you think its pretty,¡± Syl said as she drifted past grinning. Alicia turned red faster than he personally could as she let go of his face and stepped back putting a few feet between them. ¡°No, it¡¯s just interesting,¡± she blurted, ¡°You said it was because of your race?¡± ¡°I will get to that, but I think its best we set Kai off on his first adventure. I¡¯ll answer all your questions and give you your quest reward when we are on our own.¡± ¡°Quest reward?¡± Kai asked. ¡°Yes, I was able to offer Alicia a quest. First she had to offer you that contract so we didn''t get bound to anyone, then we form a party. Alicia is a support type and she has some unique connections for someone her level. That¡¯s why I was able to get us into this dungeon so quickly. Alicia was already here with Thanric doing some training whilst they waited to join the System Event. I had to bribe her with my help as a System guide and the Omniglot skill. She really hesitated on the terms of the contract.¡± Alicia shifted her stance slightly at mention of the skill or possibly the mutual contract, he couldn¡¯t tell which. ¡°And you¡¯re certain you can just give this skill away?¡± he asked remember the headache getting the skill from Syl had given him. ¡°The system wouldn¡¯t let me use it as a quest reward if I couldn¡¯t.¡± Syl said as she continued drifting slowly around the two of them. ¡°Alicia please give Kai an explanation about this dungeon before we send him off.¡± ¡°Oh. Did my gra- did my master not explain it to him? He likes to explain things.¡± ¡°We tried, Kai had his mind on other things¡­¡± Syl said as she drifted up to Kai and made to flick him on the forehead, her finger just passing strait through where it hit him. ¡°Where to begin,¡± Alicia started, ¡°This dungeons used for initiation and training. It is a series of chambers that gradually increase in difficulty, scale and complexity. There is a reward for every five rooms cleared. The rewards are good because they seemed to be based on how you performed, so you nearly always get something you need to help with the up and coming rooms. You can only enter it if you are under level ten, but the lower level you are when you first start the better the rewards seem to be, like you I was still level zero when I came in. No one knows exactly how many rooms there are because no ones has finished the dungeon as people are forced to give up or die trying. The party I joined on my run got me to the twenty fifth room before I had to leave to join my master for the event. I will not be able to join in on any room I have already done. but I can follow behind until the room I last got to is reached.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. As the dungeon scales to the number of participants Kai should in theory be able to get that far, though trying solo is considered much harder. Most people only get to run the dungeon once as they either receive an injury or something else that forces them to exit. They can not re-enter because they are past level ten or they cant find a way to be carried back to the room they last got too.¡± ¡°I should have asked for a brief explanation.¡± Syl said interrupting Alicia who still seemed like she had more to say. ¡°Kai, go through that archway, you¡¯ll find yourself in a room with one or two monsters in it. Kill them. With your stats, experience and all sparing we did together it should be a piece of cake,¡± Syl snapped her fingers getting his attention back from the archway he had turned too. ¡°This is the important part. When you have gathered enough essence the system will try and level you up, do not let it.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Simply not wanting to level up yet should stop the system from doing it for you. It will feel like your full, like your about to burst. But you cant let the system level you up. Just clear the room and wait for Alicia and myself to join you. Ill explain what you should do with all the essence then.¡± Kai just nodded, turned and walked through the archway. ¡°Is he going to be okay?¡± Alicia asked Syl. ¡°Yes. Believe it or not he has about a thousand years of accumulated experience, he just doesn¡¯t remember any of it. He just needs to trust his instincts and stop holding back, he will be fine.¡± ¡°No I mean he has no weapon, armour or recovery items.¡± ¡°Elf tits, I forgot to get him to check his ring.¡± The goblins had already started screaming.
The moment Kai stepped threw the archway the shadows cleared and a room appeared at the other end of a short corridor. He made his way carefully up to the opening to see what the dungeon had prepared for him. It was too short skinny green goblins in soiled loin cloths. They had their backs to him as they bickered with each other, neither of them noticing his approach in the corridor. If he was quick he could probable take them both out before they could even react. Darting into the room he put his hand out to his side to conjure a fresh blade, he was thinking a short sword would be best in the small room. But the moment he focused his intent his hand just itched, tingling as nothing appeared he realised his first mistake. He wasn¡¯t in his domain, he was in a dungeon. Weaponless and charging head first at two goblins he had to think fast. He crouched low putting his left should first and shoulder checked the closest goblin. The smelly little green man screamed as it was sent flying into the far wall, ¡®I cant believe you actually tried to conjure a weapon,¡¯ Syl said her voice in the back of his head. ¡°A little busy Syl.¡± He said as he turned his attention to the goblin right beside him. Luckily it had no weapon either and seemed more surprise at Kais sudden appearance and its companions abrupt flight then anything else. Moving faster then it could react Kai spun and brought his boot up between the goblins legs. With a sickening crunch the goblins eyes rolled back as it collapsed. Standing over the poor little fella Kai raised his leg up to stomp on its head. He couldn''t help but think the goblin looked pitiful as it curled up into a little ball clutching its jewels, heaving for breath. Suddenly the other goblin was on his back and he found himself tumbling forward. The little green thing was screaming maniacally as its sweaty long bony fingers wrapped around his throat, long ragged nails tearing at his flesh. Whether the goblin was weak or his improved stats were just that good he didn''t know but the attempt at strangling him felt like that of a feeble old person bereft of any notable strength. As he got to his feat the goblin must have realised its attempt to strangle him wasn¡¯t going to work so it dug its filthy little teeth into his shoulder. ¡°You little-¡° Kai immediately jumped and slammed his back down into the the solid stone dungeon floor. He felt the little goblins rib cage crumple in on itself as he hit the ground, the goblins fetid breath whooshing bast his shoulder as he rolled off it. Getting to his feet again he immediately checked what the other goblin was up to, it was too busy vomiting to be any real threat. ¡®You know with the stat difference you probably could of just kicked both of them in the head, they are short enough.¡¯ Syl said. Ignoring the constructive criticism he checked the goblin he had just crushed. It was badly winded and was struggling to catch its breath as it turned an odd shade of blue. ¡®You had the right idea before. Make it quick and put them out of their misery.¡± Kai stepped up to the closest goblin. It wheezed as it clutched at its crushed torso. He half expected it to plead for its life but the eyes that looked up at him were just filled with rage. Had their positions been reversed he knew this pitiful thing wouldn¡¯t hesitate for a moment. You have killed Goblin Wretchling Lv.1 You have killed Goblin Wretchling Lv.1 He had done it, stomped on both of them, putting them both out of their misery like Syl had said. It just felt wrong, he felt odd, numb. ¡°What is wrong?¡± he heard Alicia ask as she entered the room just behind Syl. ¡°The world he is from only just got initiated, culturally killing is... its complicated.¡± Syl said as she drifted in front of him trying to get him to look at her. ¡°Kai we talked about this, you expected this the moment the system connected to you.¡± ¡°I know, I just need a moment to process what just happened.¡± ¡°Why were there two of them, my party only had one for each member. Made me fight mine one on one to make sure I had it in me before we continued.¡± Alicia squeaked, what happened to the corpses? they just vanished.¡± Kai looked around confused, ¡°they¡¯re not supposed to vanish?¡± Alicia shook her head, ¡°we get to dismantle them for ingredients and materials.¡± ¡°Check the ring you got as compensation,¡± Syl said. ¡°I don¡¯t-¡° looking down at his hands he noticed a silver looking ring on the ring finger of his left hand. The ring didn''t exactly shine, it kind of glimmered, as he moved his hand to get a better look the light that caught it flared through the the whole spectrum and back again. Looking closer he noticed it wasn''t actually one piece of metal but hundreds, possibly thousands, of interwoven, braided bands of metal that seemed to be actively rolling in on itself. Pulling it off he focused on it. Trying for his first item description he wasn''t disappointed when a blue window appeared next to the ring as he rolled it between his thumb and forefinger. Kai¡¯s Soul Ring ( Unique - Soul bound, looting, dismantle, obscure, indestructible ) Made of a long forgotten material, This storage ring connects directly to Kai¡¯s Soul allowing him to store physical items within his nascent domain. ( This ring also posses the looting, dismantle, obscure, stuck and indestructible Enchantments. This ring is part of a set. ) Doing his best not to react outwardly, he was ecstatic at having a storage item, he focused on the list of enchantments hoping the system would fill him in. Looting - will aromatically deposit your ¡®loot¡¯ in your storage. Currently set to all. Dismantle - will auto dismantle loot. Currently set to off. Obscure - this item is obscured, obscured items cannot be detected or examined by others. Currently set to only those who know. Stuck - this item is stuck where it is. Will return if removed. Indestructible - This item will be restored by the System if it is somehow destroyed. Set - 1 of 2 rings. ¡°Okay, I know I¡¯m new to this but even I know that that is a bit much.¡± ¡°What I don¡¯t see anything.¡± Alicia said as she watched him intently. ¡°Oh, here,¡± took the ring of his finger and tossed it at Alicia. To her credit Alicia reacted faster then he expected and grabbed it out of the air, opening her Gloved fist to find there was nothing. She looked about trying to see where it had gone ¡°I am sorry, I swear I caught it.¡± As she looked back to Kai apologetically Kai held up his left hand displaying the ring that had returned to his finger the moment Alicia had closed her hand around it. ¡°Stuck enchantment.¡± He staid thinking that would be enough of an explanation. ¡°What enchantment?¡± said, her confusion writ plain on her face. Kai took a moment to read off the rings description and the systems explanation of its enchantments. The more he spoke the wider Alicia eyes grew. His explanation over Kai switched the ring to the middle finger of his right hand, he wasn¡¯t quite ready to put anything on his actual ring finger. but to his dismay the moment the ring settled and he took his eyes off it it shifted back the ring finger of his left hand. He looked at Syl who just smiled at him. ¡°You certain it says soul, not spatial. I mean I¡¯ve heard of a spatial storage device, everyone has, everyone wants one?¡± ¡°Defiantly says Soul.¡± Kai checked. ¡°No capacity, weight reduction or time dilation.¡± Alicia was rambling. ¡° No mention of killing anything living you store inside!¡± the little el¡¯vei girl practically squealed. Alicia pulled the pack off her back and held it out to them, ¡°This cost me over a hundred gold!¡± She said with tears brimming in her eyes. Kai looked at the pack a focused. Lesser Spatial Pack of holding. Despite its size this pack will hold up to 1 cubic meter or 35 cubic feet worth of items. Items in the pack will weigh half what they normally do and will experience 1 5th the normal passage of time. As this item distorts time and space storing living matter is not recommended. Alicia sank down till her butt hit the ground and she pulled her pack tight, ¡°I hate you, stupid ring.¡± Syl drifted close to her and patted her on the head. Or at least she pretended too, ¡°there there, he has that effect on people. He will grow on you I promise.¡± ¡°It is not fair.¡± ¡°I would tell you he is just lucky, but that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth.¡± ¡°But all my gold?¡± ¡°Think of it this way Alicia, with Kai around you wont have to worry about looting stuff or dismantling.¡± ¡°No dismantling monsters?¡± ¡°Yup. It gets better. With Kai looting everything there wont be any real limit on what we take from dungeons, rifts and ruins.¡± Alicia''s golden eyes glimmered, ¡°but the local Economy?¡± ¡°But your gold.¡± ¡°Just how big is his Soul space?¡± Syl turned to Kai and let out a hmm. ¡°You didn¡¯t level up did you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t thinks so.¡± Kai said trying to feel for the full feeling Syl described, there was something there that hadn¡¯t been before, but he wouldn¡¯t say he felt full. ¡°Great, there¡¯s somethings I want to talk to you both about and if we have a visual aid it will be easier for the both of you to understand.¡± She looked around the empty room, ¡°Alicia, will this room re-spawn if Kai was to stay here for a while?¡± ¡°No, once a rooms cleared that is it. The only time a room resets is if you retreat before clearing it. Why?¡± ¡°Kai, loot Alicia and join us at the house.¡± ¡°That¡¯s possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why not,¡± Syl said shrugging as she burst into cyan flame and was gone. ¡°So I just-¡° he focused on Alicia and thought about her being in his domain. ¡°Wait I-¡° Alicia disappeared, ¡®do not think¡­ good¡­ idea. Crusty Dwarf Beards!¡¯ Kai stood alone in the dungeon chamber and thought about how easy that had been, he hoped he could get her back out again. He better check. Alicia reappeared, ¡°What the-¡° ¡°You okay?¡± he asked. ¡°A little disorientated, I do not like how you can-¡° she disappeared again. ¡®do that!¡¯ Alicia cried inside his mind. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for the contract I doubt he could do it, you¡¯re engaged to him get use to it already.¡¯ Syl said. The fact that he heard it meant she wanted him to hear it. Confused Kai took a moment as he sat down on the cold hard tiles of the dungeon floor. Something was annoying him, he thought Syl liked him, but she seemed all in on Alicia. He toyed with his new ring, twisting it on his ring finger, he might just end up marrying the little el¡¯vei girl if he wasn¡¯t careful. Suddenly Alicia appeared in-front of him, ¡°it worked, I was able to exit on my own.¡± She looked at him, ¡°Syl try and bring me back please, he is blushing like he was up to no good and I do not like it.¡± And just like that she was gone again. Chapter 10 - Omni Level Chapter 10 - Omni Level It had taken Kai a bit longer then usual get get himself into his domain. he didn''t know if it was because he couldn¡¯t quite clear his mind or because the process was a tad more complicated now with having a physical body again. But he had managed. He appeared outside the lake house, Syl and Alicia were sitting around a table out on the decking that span the lakeside edge of the growing property. Syl had her back to him but the moment he had arrived she beckoned him over. ¡°How is this place so¡­ big?¡± Alicia asked them both Kai got closer. ¡°Master can access his soul space, but he says its just a small forest grove. It takes him a good hour to enter and that¡¯s after decades possibly centuries of practice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Kai¡­ because¡­ huh forbidden knowledge.¡± Syl said leaning back in her chair thinking. ¡°I got stuck in a time loop for around a thousand years, my soul kept growing, but my memories got wiped and my body reset again and again.¡± Kai said as he took the open seat. ¡°Then when the time loop was fixed I was cast into the void, whatever that is, with no physical body. I had Syl to pull me into this place from time to time so learning to do so on my own wasn¡¯t actually that hard.¡± He repressed the memories of what lay hidden within the abyss with a shudder, ¡°I recommend trying a different method.¡± ¡°That sounds terrible.¡± Alicia said looking at him with sympathy. ¡°Time loop arrays are sometimes used on criminals. They have a tendency to drive people mad.¡± ¡°The void almost drove me mad. Nothing, true nothing is incomprehensible. I found it best just to accept it for what it was, nothing. Once I did that the void was actually quite peaceful¡­ until it wasn''t.¡± Alicia looked at him funny, it was an odd mix of pity and poorly hidden curiosity. Prattling on about literately nothing driving you almost mad might just sound a like some of the almost had actually stuck to him. ¡°But don¡¯t pity me,¡± he said, ¡°pity Syl. She watched the whole thousand year time loop thing happen. Then she had her memories of all the potentially rule breaking stuff we discovered scooped out of her head without her even realising.¡± ¡°How are you doing that, its forbidden knowledge.¡± Syl said as she stared at him form across the table. ¡°The forbidden knowledge seems to be the why and the how, not the what. See if I was to tell Alicia¡­ nope can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°How did you figure that out before me?¡± He shrugged, ¡°I don¡¯t know, I overthink things. I¡¯m also use to talking without thinking too much about what I am saying. Maybe I should get The Wise title to go with my Old Soul trait.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I could know something and not be able to even share it.¡± Alicia jumped a little in her seat. ¡°Can I take notes, I¡¯m sure my master will find this all very interesting. As The Sage he is quite dependable on who he chooses to share his knowledge with. Kai looked at Sly, they both shrugged. ¡°Not like there is anything that could potentially harm us, some of the things I plan on discussing might even help your world reach the first tier and beyond.¡± Alicia pulled a note book from her pack and started scribbling frantically with a weird metal stylus. ¡°Syl got attached to me because of everything that happened. I think that too effected this place, she put all this,¡± he spread his arms wide, ¡°the house, the plants, the lake, all of it together whilst I was still figuring out how to get in on my own.¡± ¡°Why were you sent to Alea?¡± ¡°Why? did you think Kai was exiled here or something like that. That perhapse he was a bad boy?¡± ¡°It might have been a possibility¡­¡± Alicia said sheepishly. ¡°Kais actually got a bit of a hero streak, saved his whole galaxy from absolute destruction. Left his family and everything he knows and loves behind. Did everything he could to save me. As he says I¡¯m attached to him¡­ in more ways then then he realised. ¡°That¡¯s why I wouldn¡¯t feel a bit too put out about his soul ring, he gave up more then he knows. No that ring was part compensation part reward for what he went through and what he lost. ¡°Kai¡¯s world, his whole home galaxy was barren of magic. ¡°His time spent in the time loop and connection to me lead to everything you see around us. ¡°He outgrew his home so he was sent to your world where he could flourish without negatively effecting those around him or even the system integration itself. ¡°Neither of us expected our arrival to be tied to a system event. ¡°We couldn¡¯t even understand your language when we arrived, which brings me to this.¡± Syl held out her hand palm up above the table. A sudden breeze picking up all around them. Above them The stars shimmered brightly as particles of light around one of the twin stars were pulled down into her waiting hand where they came together and condensed into a perfect crystal sphere that glowed with a faint inner light. ¡°Is that the skill?¡± Alicia asked unable to hide her eagerness. ¡°No if I wanted to give you just the skill I would have made a skill book. I can¡¯t actually do that anymore, but this,¡± Syl pinched the sphere between her fingers, ¡°this does the same thing, this is knowledge. All that¡¯s needed for the system to acknowledge the skill within you and so much more.¡± ¡°All language past and present, written and spoken¡± Alicia said, her awe writ large on he eager face. ¡°More than that, all forms of communication past an recent. Watch,¡± Syl released the orb to float above the table where she left it. She stated gesturing with both her hands towards Kai. ¡°You dare!¡± he cried, fighting back a fresh wave of embarrassment. ¡°What was that?¡± Alicia asked. ¡°Sign language from his home, he didn¡¯t know it a day ago.¡± ¡°I guessed that much, we have our own visual languages. What did you you say to him.¡± ¡°I asked if he would like me to show you all the lingerie he likes.¡± Syl said grinning Alicia turned the same shade of red. ¡°What do you mean by re-recent.¡± She stammered she too turned a light shade of pink. Disappointed Syl tsked, ¡°Its all past and current as of about a month ago, give or take. It¡¯s more than enough for the skill, and its the system curated omni-level skill that will actually update with any new languages as they are created. One level above pinnacle, two above divine, it is the highest possible level.¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me I have a skill that is the highest possible tear? ¡°Pinnacle is technically the best, but that is based on being the best there is or ever was not the best there could possibly be. Omni skills are just all encompassing by their nature so the system ranks them higher. Don¡¯t forget the system likes to put thing in terms we can comprehend.¡± Kai wasn¡¯t too fussed about the details of skill levels, he was just surprised he already had a skill that was around if not the highest level. Shame it was a utility skill. ¡°How do I-¡° Alicia said, she hadn¡¯t taken her eyes of the sphere of knowledge that still floated where Syl left it. Syl waved and the sphere shot across the table shattering into a thousand pieces as is crashed into Alicias forehead. All the particles released creating a cloud that was rapidly absorbed into the poor girl as she cradled he head against the table. ¡°You could have warned her about the headache.¡± ¡°Why waist my time, its not like she could have prepared herself.¡± Alicia head popped up, her nose was bleeding and she was grinning fiendishly. ¡°That was intense.¡± ¡°You get the skill?¡± Alicia drummed on the table, ¡®naturally, Master Thanric is going to be soo jealous¡­¡¯ her hands stopped drumming ¡°What was that?¡± Kai asked, curious about the odd form of communication. ¡°Code that thieves and bandits use.¡± Alicia looked at Syl, ¡°can you do that¡­ that knowledge condensation when ever you want?¡± ¡°I believe so¡­¡± ¡°Can you not give it to my master, at least not for a while, I know it is selfish of me but¡­ I think you should¡­ but still I would like a little time to-¡± Syl laughed, ¡°oh don¡¯t worry, while probably I can, its a very valuable bargaining chip. I would be foolish just to go throwing it around. Best that he think he needs to earn it.¡± ¡°You know master would probably give you anything within his power for this skill, hes The Sage for a reason, his pursuit of knowledge is legendary on Alea.¡± ¡°How about this, I wont offer the skill to him unless he offers us something we absolutely need¡­ or you decide its time.¡± ¡°Damn, I had hoped I might get myself a dragon mount.¡± Kai joked. Alicia blinked, ¡°He has connections with the dragons, they¡¯re elusive and I do not think they will interested in the skill, they like there dragon tongue too much, might even get upset if there¡¯s a skill that can allow others to¡­¡± Alicias went wide. Kai gave Alicia a look that asked why she paused. ¡°Syl, with this skill should I be able to use the more¡­ the more magical languages, like the dragon tongue, like High¡¯viairen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. You saw how Kai stumbled into the Thick-tounge. Might take some work to speak a new language with intent. But it¡¯s certainly possible.¡± Alicia drifted off into her own thoughts. ¡°What¡¯s High¡¯viairen?¡± ¡°A Lost language of power. I¡¯m sure Alicia will teach you when she figures it out¡­ if you¡¯re nice to her.¡± Syl said smiling to herself. Kai didn¡¯t want to think what Syl meant by nice. He was always nice but he had a feeling Syl meant nice not nice. ¡°Alicia, come back to us got allot to get through.¡± Syl Spoke up after a few seconds. Alicia blinked, ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Alicia, What is the system? What do you believe, what has that master of yours taught you?¡± Syl asked like a teacher trying to establish what they were dealing with, ¡°Be Brief.¡± ¡°The system? it allows people to gain power, skills¡­¡± ¡°What if I said the system doesn''t do anything like that. Do you know what your world was like before the system?¡± ¡°Some. Master says Alea was in a golden age of peace and prosperity before the system.¡± ¡°Did people still have power, could they still use skills, magic?¡± ¡°Not everyone, just the nobility, the truly exceptional and educated.¡± ¡°Exactly, everything that is possible with the system was possible without it. You see the system is just a tool, an aid, an equaliser.¡± Syl lectured, ¡°What happened when the system first integrated with Alea?¡± ¡°The age ended, civilisation as it was fell. The people learnt how to level, developed skills, terrible magic. The nobility tried to maintain power for themselves but empires crumbled, kingdoms shattered and nations disappeared. Allot of knowledge was lost. Master calls this an age of ignorance and stagnation¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, the system was set to eliminate my entire planets population, only around two percent was predicted to survive. It tried to compensate by¡­ Lets just say that it¡¯s one of the reasons why I ended up in a time loop. Modern civilisation is probably going be the first thing that goes when people get out of the tutorial.¡° ¡°You do not seem at all upset.¡± Alicia said once again looking at him with doleful golden eyes. ¡°We fixed things best we could. But It¡¯s not like my world was in a golden age.¡± Kai let out a long sigh, ¡°The system assessed my world, civilisation was teetering at a breaking point, my people were facing self extinction. The sad fact is I actually agree. the systems probably a good thing, especially if it brings true magic to my world.¡± Syl reached across the table and took his hand, ¡°You will go back someday.¡± He squeezed her hand, ¡°I¡¯m assuming all this system talk has something to do with why you told me not to level.¡± ¡°Alicia when you levelled up for the fist time everything was automatic, even your stat allocation?¡± Alicia nodded.Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°What the system did was assign your accumulated essence based on how you gained that essence. What skills you used, how you moved, what weapons and gear you used and to a lesser extent what stats you desire. That¡¯s why people who act more physically boost their physical stats and people who use more mana?¡± ¡°Their magical stats.¡± Kai offered. Alicia knocked her agreement again. ¡°While this is great for people who don¡¯t know to assign essence without the system before it naturally deteriorates and is lost. It can actually be bad for you if you do it too much. ¡°The multiverse is full of people who fall into the trap of having stats, skills and abilities that don¡¯t actually suit them. ¡°Worse their cores can become unbalance, unstable. It can be nearly impossible for them to refine their cores, to compress them. As these two steps are vital for reaching the first tier they find themselves halted, unable to level any further.¡± Alicia was back to scribbling in her note book. ¡°Kai that room we arrived in was full of people ranging from level sixty up to eighty. Only that Caradin guy had a refined his part of his physical core. ¡°Everyone there except Alicia should have both of their cores refined and be partway into compression.¡± Syl tapped the table getting Alicia to look up from her notes. ¡±how long ago was Aleas integration?¡± ¡°About nine centuries I think.¡± ¡°And do you know the highest level that¡¯s been reached?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rumoured Caradin is reaching ninety, but master is says its not true.¡± Syl scoffed ¡°Thanric¡¯s more powerful and that¡¯s without any refinement. No I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that slimy man was the source of those rumours. I¡¯ve got the feeling he is going to be the root of allot of problems.¡± ¡°You could examine them?¡± Kai asked remembering the ( ??? ) he got for almost everyone that had been present. ¡°No, but I was able to get a feeling for their power based on aura. Caradin wasn¡¯t even trying to suppress his. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it was pretty weak, he was just pushing it out while everyone else maintained theirs, so it felt strong. ¡°What worries me is an A class world like Alea should be far more advanced. Has it actually connected to any other worlds yet?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Alicias paused her note taking, ¡°There was a system event that about three centuries ago, Alea didn¡¯t qualify.¡± ¡°Do you think Bob sent us here to fix things?¡± Kai asked Syl. ¡°Not unless there is¡­ you know a problem that would require his attention.¡± Kai sat back thinking, ¡°what if he knew about this world because he was already watching it.¡± Syl tapped the table thinking about it. ¡°Who¡¯s Bob?¡± Alicia asked. ¡°Bob¡¯s the¡­ Bob is a¡­ hmm, he is Syls older brother?¡± ¡°Another System guide?¡± ¡°Not exactly, he has a job¡­ lets just say you don¡¯t want to ever meet him.¡± Syl said. ¡°I have a brother like that, only turns up to cause trouble, or put an end to it,¡± Alicia said as she turned to Kai, ¡°you don not want to meet him.¡± Syl taped the table again, ¡°As I was saying. You want to avoid relying on the system when it comes to levelling up. The best thing to do is take the essence you accumulate, remove any impurities you can find, and then assign it yourself. ¡°You have much more control over your development. But the real bonus is all the work you put in makes core refinement and compression much much easier, especially when its something you learn to do at the low levels. Now Alicia, has Thanric taught you how to find your core yet?¡± Alicia paused, ¡°he told me not to worry about my core.¡± Syl threw her head back,¡°And he is The Sage of this world.¡± ¡°He told me I would come to find my core naturally when I reached around level fifty. That it should be powerful enough that its just obvious.¡± Sly let out a long frustrated sigh, ¡°Only idiots wait so long. Your cores could be almost unrecoverable by then. Please tell me he has you working on a balanced approach, you had a bow and sword, but your focus is actually support magic.¡± Alicia nodded emphatically. ¡°What are your stats?¡± A piece of paper appeared in front of Alicia but before she could react Syl just reached over and grabbed it. ¡°We need to talk about the way you interact with the system, it makes you vulnerable,¡± Syl said as she read the paper, ¡°hmm two percent deviation¡­ good stat distribution. Nothing catastrophic¡­¡± ¡°From what your saying balance is key. So I¡¯m guessing I shouldn¡¯t min max?¡± Kai asked. Alicia was still shocked Syl had just grabbed her stat sheet. ¡°Oh definitely min max, find out what suits you and lean into it, you just need a good foundation first. But don¡¯t do anything stupid before you learn how to properly build up your cores. ¡°Alicia while Kai goes through the dungeon I will work with you, help you find your core. When you join up with him you can build up a real foundation. If things go well the two of you might just be the first to reach the first tier on this planet.¡± ¡°You mean I¡¯ll be able to out level my master?¡± Alicia asked. ¡°Alicia, if we do this right you should level faster than anyone has seen for centuries. I¡¯m not saying its easy, I¡¯m saying its better. Learning to do it now ill make your later progression much faster. Even with all that information your so furiously writing down it will be hard for Thanric to refine his cores. Far too many impurities. but when he does I imagine his own pace will pick up.¡± Alicia grinned. ¡°Now as to why I brought you in here, if you would both look up¡± Syl pointed up, ¡°I give you cores, two of them in fact, Two soul bound souls.¡± She smiled. Kai looked up, ¡°I promise, I did not think they were just for show.¡± ¡°What gave it away,¡± Syl said as she rolled her eyes, ¡°Was it all the coincidental flashes and flareups each time something significant happened. Or was it when I pulled literal knowledge from one of them.¡± Syl gestured and a copy of the twin stars appeared, hovering just above the table in front of them. ¡°Nice, I was worried I¡¯d get a crick in my neck.¡± ¡°These are our cores, mine is this one,¡±she gestured to the one closer to her, ¡°and the one next to him is Kais. ¡°For humanoids like ourselves you would expects to see three distinct cores. The physical core, the mana core and then the main core that anchors everything. ¡°The main core is basically you, it is a culmination of your experiences, your memories, your personality, this core grows and developed as you do. While it is possible to enhance this core using essence it is not recommended as doing so would make irreversible changes to who you are. ¡°As a rule the system only ever interacts with the main core to help heal whats commonly called should damage. But that isn''t actually true as the system can also interact with the main core to do things such as wiping memories or preventing forbidden information from spreading. ¡°There are cultures within the system active universe who reject the use of the system for this reason alone, though it is mostly to maintain a status quo of the powerful repressing the week. ¡°Now,¡± Syl tapped the table and the copy of her core dissipated like dust in the wind leaving Kai¡¯s core to shift place and grow in detail. ¡°Our cores are both unique but I will use Kai¡¯s to demonstrate because his should more closely resemble your own Alicia.¡± Alicia nodded intently as she continued to scribble in her note book. ¡°The first thing you will notice is the main core currently dwarfs the other two. That because as we told you, he was stuck in a time loop for around a thousand years so it has grown out of proportion with the rest of him. Its scale and a few other factors are the reason why its so hard to examine him despite his low level. ¡°If you look closely you will notice there are areas much dimmer, much less active then they should be, that is the part touched by the system and myself¡­¡± Syl paused. The image of his core was no where near as bright as the core just above them, it allowed him to view it in much more detail then he ever had before. Vast swathes of his core churned and twisted faintly, barely even moving as rivers and lakes of more vibrant energy pulsed through them. ¡°My memories weren''t actually removed?¡± ¡°If you could reach out ant touch those dull areas you would find them soft, spongy, possibly even brittle. Your actual experience remains but it¡¯s removed, detached. Similar experiences in the future may form connections that revitalise and help you reconnect...¡± ¡°Can I not use essence to repair things, activate the inactive areas.¡± Kai asked as he formed a plan, ¡°Remember things I¡¯d been forced to forget?¡± ¡°Experience is not memory. Using essence to reactivate those area¡¯s might be possible, but also incredibly dangerous. It would change you fundamentally. ¡°For now you ll have to live with imperfect recall, gut feelings and d¨¦j¨¤ vu.¡± Syl said once again reaching out to squeeze his hand. His plans of using a bit of essence here and there to get his memories back crumbled. At least now he knew why he felt such a strong connection with Syl. Even before their souls were bound together he still had the experience of there time together. Which begged a question. ¡°Why not also take the experience as well as the memories?¡± ¡°Because it would of turned your core into a fragile shell, that and it¡¯s something the soul controls, it decides when to let go of experience, even the traumatic ones. Its why when people forget, the trauma can stay with them for longer still.¡± ¡°Is this why its nearly impossible to fix mental illnesses with magic.?¡± Alicia asked. ¡°Depends on the cause of the malady. If its a kind of soul damage, any improvement magic could do would be a kin to a temporary bandage.¡± Syl looked at him hard for a moment. ¡°Kais main core dwafes his other cores, but if he concentrates he should be able find his others easily.¡± He looked at the image hovering just above the table. ¡°No,¡± Syl said letting out an exacerbated sigh as she rolled her eyes at him. ¡°You need to actually feel for them, inside yourself. With your ability to already enter your domain it should be almost instinctual, look for it, just don¡¯t enter it.¡± Sitting back in his chair he felt for the place he came to to enter this place. It was so obvious now. It was almost impossible for him to mistake it for what it was. It pulsed just like the star he had seen so many times now it was impossible for him to mistake it for anything else then what it actually was. Gelling closer he felt a few other things, there was a large cloud of energy that surrounded the core but if he tried reaching for it it always seemed to just escape his grasp. ¡°What was that?¡± Alicia asked, her voice oddly distant. ¡°Don¡¯t distract him, just pay attention to what he is doing.¡± Syl said, her own voice still crystal clear to him. He gave up on the cloud of energetic and went closer to his main core, where, like planets orbiting a star he could just about feel two much smaller cores that were only actually appeared when he knew to look for them. Their orbits seemed to oppose each other, each giving of a totally different feeling to the other. ¡°Your cores are almost perfectly balanced, but not synced, the way the interact with each other will change depending on how you develop.¡± ¡°I think I know which is my mana core and which my physical.¡± ¡°Everyone does when they get to this stage, they¡¯re your cores of-course you instinctively know what they are once you find them. Though an intruder may have to get more invasive to figure out which core is which when they are this balanced. ¡°Alicia however will have a naturally more developed mana core, so deduction should be easier. If however she decided to redevelop her physical core to match or even be superior to he man core it again might be tricky. ¡°But this is something few will ever have to worry about. Its higher tier stuff.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Alicia murmured. ¡°Now that you have found your cores take a look at one of them. Feel it out.¡± He focused on the his physical core as it passed by. It was like his main core, just a whole lot more stable, the whole thing just glowed a steady clear blue light. ¡°Again you should be able to feel how the different parts of your core effect you. You should also feel that its a whole, everything effecting everything else. ¡°Your stamina is a combination of your vitality and endurance, but using strength and dexterity works away at your accumulated stamina. Strength and dexterity come together to give you your overall agility, but your endurance dictates how long you can go all out. ¡°The thing I want you to both understand is that your stats are just how the system quantifies key parts of your core and roughly what they do. ¡°A good combination of different stats is better then an over abundance of one. In fact focusing on one too much can negeitvly effect the others. Like if you poured all you essence into strength you would find you bulk up and can lift and move heavy objects easily. ¡°But you¡¯ll also slow down and loose overall mobility and wont be able to apply that power in other ways. ¡°Until you learn more complex ways of applying essence to your core so you can compensate its best to lay a good balanced foundation,¡± Syl finished. ¡°Like how having a massive mana-pool is pointless if you cant actually do anything with that mana.¡± Alicia said. ¡°Exactly! And it is for this reason I want both of you to apply essence to your core as evenly as possible. Don¡¯t even look at your separate stats, just concentrate on the cores themselves and how they feel. ¡°Now Kai find the essence you have absorbed from killing the two goblins, it should should be collecting around your main core.¡± Focusing again he felt it, it seemed to be just about everywhere. ¡°That¡¯s the stuff. Now normally the system will direct this for you, sending it where it thinks you need it. Without the system you would need to first learn to find your core to level up, it can be hard, but its not impossible without training.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why when the system came everyone suddenly started levelling,¡± Alicia said, ¡°the system aided them.¡± ¡°Yes they always had the ability but not the know how. El¡¯viairen typically find this step easier as they find using magic easier, and using your mana core often makes it easier to detect. The same goes for those that train physically, like martial artists. They both exercise their cores frequently and so find them faster.¡± The mention of martial artist made something click for Kai. ¡°This all sounds an awful lot like cultivation.¡± ¡°System assisted cultivation,¡± Syl corrected, ¡°The Sects hate it.¡± ¡°The sects?¡± Alicia asked. ¡°A Large faction of the multiverse that rejects the system in favour of traditional cultivation. It¡¯s difficult and dangerous, like driving a car at night through the woods at full speed, with the headlights and the instrument panels all turned off. Possible, but only the truly exceptional individuals reach any level of immortality or ascend to godhood.¡± ¡°Okay¡­ few questions like whats a car, but ill jot them down for later.¡± Alicia mumbled. ¡°Kai try reaching out, pull it together and send it spinning around your main core.¡± It was surprisingly easy, the essence came together to form a slim disc of slowly moving particles orbiting his main core. ¡°Now this is technically a form of refinement, you wont have as much essence to work with when you¡¯re done, but what you will have will be cleaner, more potent, and most importantly core compression should be much much easier. ¡°Spin the essence faster, work up gradually. You should feel some of it burn up or dissipate when that starts hold that speed until no more is burning off.¡± He did as he said, the faster he span the essence the more it felt like it wanted to rip free of his control. It took more and more of his attention but eventually he notices the essence start to diminish slightly, the finer particles just fading away one after another. He also noticed the occasional particle break free and shoot off from the spinning mass. He started to slow things down and hold onto what essence remained ¡°Ignore that, its just impurities. Dungeon monsters don¡¯t usually have many but natural or rift born monsters will be a whole different story. Keep spinning.¡± He buckled back down getting the mass of essence back up to speed. ¡°No this is important, if you don¡¯t do this next step right you could loose all that essence. You spinning it has changed its state slightly making it more energetic, perfect to apply to your cores. But if you let it go it will break off just like the impurities. ¡°What do i-¡° the moment he spoke he felt his control lapse and he had to concentrate to keep things from going out of control. ¡°Just do what I say. I want you to split the essence, have half flow to one core and the other half to the other core. This should be easy with the way your cores are currently separated the essence should split evenly between the two. If you cores were orbiting more erratically you would have to control it more.¡± Syl was right, the moment he thought about it his other two cores seemed to generate there own gravity, pulling eagerly on the essence it divided equally between the two. ¡°Now don¡¯t just let the essence hit the cores, you want to apply it equally. The cores will want to absorb the essence in the state it¡¯s in, feel it out, do what comes naturally, let your cores drink it evenly.¡± His attention was split between the two cores but he didn¡¯t let that deter him, this actually did feel natural to him. Spinning had worked so far so he just did the same thing to his cores. As the essence came in he span the cores on a constantly shifting axis, making sure no one area was covered in the incoming essence. ¡°Good. ¡°hen there is no more essence to add inspect each core, look for high points, wet spots, dips and troughs. Apply pressure, smooth everything out. Then when your happy, squeeze.¡± He did as Syl said. It seemed easy, a little too easy. ¡°Aaand¡­ you are done done.¡± Kai opened is eyes to see Alicai scribbling in a second notebook. The image of his core on the table now showing two much smaller orbiting cores. He grinned, ¡°how did I do?¡± ¡°Not bad I suppose, a bit rough for someone who has years of experience to draw upon. When Alicia tries she is going to have to work allot harder then you did.¡± He looked at his cores, something didn¡¯t seem quite right. ¡°Is that it? ¡° He asked, ¡°that was a level up.¡± ¡°What did you expect? A ding, music, a flash of light from the heavens.¡± Syl scoffed, "A level is just a predetermined measure of applied essence. The system just waits till you have enough essence before going to work. Be happy with a notification.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t get a notification.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t, strange¡­ Two goblins even level zero ones should have been more that enough essence for the system to consider you levelled up.¡± ¡°Why does it take more and more essence to level up?¡± he asked. ¡°Because as you level your cores grow and it takes more essence to create new layers. Like painting a ball, you need more paint with each layer as the balls surface area increases every time you paint it. That¡¯s why core compression''s are important. You reduce the surface area without loosing anything.¡± Syl looked at him as Alicia just continued to scribble more and more notes. ¡°Your going to need more essence to figure out why you didn''t actually level. Could be our race needs allot more essence, but that doesn''t make much sense. Levels are an arbitrary system measurement. A way of scaling the average system users against each other. Check your stats you will see some improvement.¡± Kai happily called up his status window. Status: Name: Kai Race: High-Human Level: 0.666 Constitution: Resting, meditating / in domain, wounded. Health: 97% Stamina: 98% Mana: 100% Physical Core: (50%) Strength 21 Dexterity 21.5 Toughness 21 Vitality 20.5 Endurance 21 Mana Core: (50%) Capacity 20.5 Control 21.5 Conversion 21 Absorption 21 Flow 21 ¡°Ten stat points, not a completely balanced distribution but I¡¯ll work on that.¡± He said summarising his gains for the Syl and Alicia. ¡°Whats that?¡± Alicia asked, her head popping around his blue window to get a better look. ¡°Ten stat points. Is that good or bad for two thirds of a level?¡± he said noting a genuine look of confusion on Alicia''s face. ¡°Its good I think. But I was asking about this blue¡­ thing.¡± ¡°Its his personal system inference,¡± Syl said letting out a long sigh. ¡°the next thing we need to talk about, makes him more vulnerable then I like.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to be doing allot of dungeon diving today am I.¡± Kai moaned. ¡°We will get there, I promise. A good tutorial would have covered most of this, but we don¡¯t have that luxury.¡± Chapter 10 - I knew I liked you Chapter 10 - I knew I liked you ¡°As fond as I am of your little blue windows Kai they make you vulnerable. And your still not hiding them.¡± Syl said ¡°Hiding them?¡± ¡°Yes!, watch me open my status sheet.¡± Nothing happened. ¡°Nothings happening¡­¡± Kai said realising too late that that was the point. ¡°Exactly!¡± Sly cried out in exasperation. ¡°Alicia, can you make a quick system oath not to reveal our race to anyone either directly or indirectly without expressed permission from either of us.¡± Alicia nodded. ¡°I Alicia, vow on the System not to reveal your race to anyone either directly or indirectly without expressed permission from either of you.¡± A piece of gilded card appeared and Alicia imminently tossed it as if it was nothing. ¡°Right,¡± Syl said starting another lecture, ¡°The first thing you both need to understand is that the system is made up of parts. Everyone has their own personal system, it adapts and grows with them. It¡¯s why Kais system behaves the way it does. Both of you, open your status sheets.¡± With a thought a blue window appeared in font of him as a piece of paper appeared just in front of Alicia. Syl grabbed Alicias paper before she could react. ¡°Do you see the problem with this?¡± Syl asked as she made a point of waving the paper about. Alicia look confused, ¡°it should break up, turn to dust.¡± ¡°Anyone with enough willpower will be able to stop your system from interfering with their own, the moment I took this from you it was mine.¡± Syl said as she scrunched up the piece of paper and tossed it over her shoulder. ¡°Now try and take Kais status screen for yourself Alicia.¡± Alicia reached across the table to grab the window but her hands just caused the blue screen to shift and dissipate as her hands travelled through it. ¡°What did you learn?¡± ¡°Kais personal system is better than mine?¡± Alicia answered tentatively. ¡°No its worse. It just can¡¯t be taken physically. However,¡± Syl gestured and Kais blue window moved to sit in front of Syl instead of him ¡°taking it is still a matter of willpower.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s mine.¡± Kai complained apathetically. Syl Gave him a knowing look, ¡°You didn''t even fight me.¡± The window returned to sit back to where it was summoned. ¡°It has more problems then that.¡± Syl turned to Alicia and tilted her head his way, ¡°Go look over his shoulder.¡± Alicia got up and stood behind Kai. ¡°He doesn''t even try to obscure his information does he, anyone with a decent perception skill can take a peak.¡± Alicia didn¡¯t say anything she just slowly walked back around the table and sat back down in a daze. Kai closed his status and studied Alicia wondering what was wrong. Her eyes were wide and she was blinking slowly. ¡°See something interesting Alicia?¡± Syl asked her with a knowing look. ¡°High¡¯viairen, Kai is high¡¯vei, I, I¡­¡± Alicia puled one of her note books close, opened it and froze with her stylus hovering just above the page unable to write anything because of her fresh system oath. KAi looked at Syl, ¡°the system put my race in terms she could understand didn¡¯t it.¡± ¡°Yeah, seems it favoured the el¡¯viairen bias this time.¡± Syl said as she tapped the table for a bit, lost in her own thoughts. ¡°Its interesting that there is also a bias to the el¡¯viairen as well as humans, could just be coincidence.¡± ¡°So high¡¯vei is what el¡¯vei call the¡­ call the lost race.¡± Kai said. ¡°Seems so. Alicia you should see his traits, these two in particular.¡± Another piece of paper appear in front of Alicia, she took it with trembling hands and started reading to herself. ¡°One of a kind? Adaptable¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, as I understand it, any children you two have will be pure el¡¯viairen.¡± Syl said with a sly smile. He really didn¡¯t understand Syl, she confused him witless at times. ¡°I mean when we have kids they should come out as high¡¯vei, but since I had to give up my body that¡¯s going to have to wait.¡± Syl said as she stared him down from across the table. ¡°I don¡¯t know if your coming or going¡­¡± Kai confessed, utterly bewildered. Syl just sighed and turned to Alicia, ¡°he has this trait too.¡± ¡°Clueless¡­ I see it.¡± She said reading a fresh piece of paper. ¡°I¡¯m sitting right here.¡± Kai grumbled.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Alicia you get one question before I move back to your personal systems.¡± ¡°Both of you are high¡¯vei, so you are not actually a system guide¡­¡± Alicia said as she processed things out loud, ¡°At least you are not just a system guide. Can, can I tell my master?¡± ¡°Why? does he need to know?¡± Kai asked. ¡°It changes everything, the adaptable progeny trait alone will put Kai at risk. My master is The Sage. He will know how to protect you from others, no one dares make him do anything he does not want to do. He has power, connections. I mean if he can get my mother to agree to the engagement that alone will afford you both protection.¡± ¡°Oh so now you like the contract?¡± Syl said teasingly, ¡°You like Kai because he wont give you half human children? Or has he already started to grow on you?¡± ¡°I do not.. I think he is¡­ I do not know what he is yet.¡± Alicia said as she tried to hide behind her notebook. ¡°I feel like I might be missing something.¡± Kai said. Alicia looked at him tilting her head, ¡°he doesn''t know does he?¡± ¡°I tried to tell him ahead of arriving. but he kept saying stupid things, I wanted him to suffer a little,¡± Syl sighed, ¡°I guess we will comeback to personal systems in a minuet.¡± Syl reached out and took Kais hand in her own as if she was about to deliver bad news. ¡°Alea¡¯s population is skewed, over eighty percent of the population is female. Society is majorly matriarchal with males mainly living lives of luxury and polygamy.¡± Syl gave him a moment for it to sink in. ¡°Bob said that I would love it.¡± He said as sudden thought of being locked in a room and forced to make babies with beautiful el¡¯vei woman flittered across his mind, ¡°is that why I need protecting, people will want me to have children with them?¡± ¡°Bob has a sick sense of humour.¡± Syl muttered. ¡°And yes, if the wrong people find out you¡¯re a pure baby making machine. You¡¯ll be kidnapped and locked away in a lavish estate and forced to pump out snot nosed heirs one after another. And this if its the nice wrong people. Think permanent sex dungeon.¡± Syl said not looking at all pleased with the prospect. ¡°You¡¯re way too vanilla for that life and I¡¯m not tagging along for the ride.¡± He sighed, ¡°I¡¯m up for a bit of fun, but on my terms.¡± Syl just rolled her eyes and continued, ¡°They use System enforced contracts when arraigning partnerships. Like the bid the orec put it. Stuff like how many children or whether the farther gets to stick around. Your contract with Alicia is one between equals, its like a wedding ring, it doesn''t do anything but form a connection between the two of you. Its more symbolic then anything else. Typically reserved for those who fall in love and don¡¯t want complicated contracts confusing things.¡± Kai fiddled with the soul ring on his ring finger, ¡°Thanric said engaged and married, I kind of just zoned everything else out¡­¡± ¡°Oh we know.¡± Syl said. ¡°I thought I could just get the contract annulled.¡± Alicia added. ¡°I thought as much, but as you said, Kai being engaged to you protects him from others. I gambled and now I¡¯ve decide to embrace it.¡± Syl paused, ¡°Alicia you do realise you wont be able to annul anything, at least not until everything to do with the system event is resolved.¡± ¡°I, I did not think of that...¡± Alicia said, the conversation turning her a light shade of pink in her embarrassment. ¡°Why would the contract protect me if polygamy is common?¡± Kai asked, still feeling like he was missing something. ¡°Poaching a princess¡¯s husband would be frowned upon.¡± Syl announced as if it was nothing. ¡°Alicia is a princess?¡± Alicia nodded coyly. ¡°Because of course she is.¡± Kai said as he got up to pace a bit. Alicia wouldn¡¯t look at him. ¡°I thought Orrick was in a harem or something like that the moment I saw him. But he is married to all those woman isn''t he?¡± He had to wonder if it was Mistress of The House, or Mistress of The House. ¡°He has allot more wives then that.¡± Alicia said softly. ¡°Each braid is a wife or favoured consort. They braid them themselves¡­ it¡¯s romantic.¡± Kai found himself stroking his own meagre beard. ¡°What were all the accessories for? I¡¯m guessing its not a fashion choice.¡± ¡°Lots of things: things to commemorate important life events, gifts from his children and potential suitors he favours, or even things that bring him shame. Dwarves wear there beards proudly.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing they don¡¯t want to mix anything up then, the man jingled when he walked.¡± Kai chuckled just remembering the man. ¡°Yeah dwarves are complicated, your not even considered an adult until your beard reaches a foot long and a girl gives them their first braid.¡± ¡°By the way, you are going to have to shave. Unless you want a few dwarven ladies taking interest.¡± Syl said grinning maliciously. He didn¡¯t really want to shave, he looked like a child without his scruff of facial hair, but he was never actually happy with his beard. He also didn¡¯t want to draw anymore attention then he already had. Alicia piped up, ¡°there¡¯s an ointment you can get that stops hair growth. Its commonly used with human consorts¡­¡± Alicia realised what she was saying and turned a deep shade of red. Syl just grin grew as she got up, ¡°Since you¡¯re up on your feet Kai I can show you the other problem you have with your personal system. Open your status and start reading it aloud for me.¡± Happy to have a change of subject he opened his status window. ¡°Name: Kai, Race High¡¯vei¡­. Oh hey my race chan-¡° Syls fist came through the blue window scattering everything as she punched him straight in the face, knocking flat on his ass. Syl looked down on him, ¡°it makes you incredibly vulnerable to surprise attacks,¡± She said with her hand outstretched ready to help him to his feat. ¡°So to summarise, its obvious when both of you use the system, both of you make it too easy for your systems to be observed and intercepted, and Kai¡¯s system is so in his face it distracts him.¡± ¡°So what we do? How do we fix It.¡± Alicia asked, once again scribbling in her book. ¡°Well normally things would change overtime as you get to use to the system, but its also possible for you to get stuck in your ways. Kai summon your status again, but this times try to keep it private, actually intend for it to be invisible to others.¡± ¡°You wont punch me again will you.¡± Kai said half in question, half in request. ¡°I promise not to punch you,¡± Syl said smiling apologetically. Kai did as he prompted and once again summoned his status, just with a little added intent. ¡°Alicia you see anything?¡± Syl asked ¡°No, but I can tell he is looking at something.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Sly said as she kicked Kai in the gut. Grunting Kai blurted,¡°You said you wouldn''t¡­ oh you evil woman you.¡± ¡°Definitely didn¡¯t punch you,¡± She went back to the table. ¡°Both of you need to work on wanting to know stuff, even feel it. When you want to see your stats, messages, notifications, change your desire. Focus on simply knowing what it is you seek. You will eventually be able to feel your status without even thinking about it.¡± ¡°Let me guess, it can make the difference between life and death?¡± Kai said rubbing the spot Syl kicked him, he was just glad she hadn¡¯t manifested a blade to make her point. ¡°Say you take an injury in a fight, you wont have to even stop to look at it or your status, you''ll just know if it needs attention or if you can just continue to fight a bit longer. It¡¯s faster and you¡¯ll find you can process things instinctively with practice.¡± ¡°If your not actually a system guide how do you know all this? This is a literal treasure trove of knowledge.¡± Alicia asked seriously as she patted one of her note books. ¡°Alicia its complicated I¡­ I can¡¯t even tell you. Lets just say my job for the entire time Kai was stuck in a time loop was directly involved in system integration. Kai lost almost all his memories and I lost my job and all its privileges.¡± Syl said as she looked up at her core above them, ¡°luckily I lost all its restrictions too, so its not so bad.¡± ¡°Can I tell my master? I mean it explains why Kais want is to get you a body. I want to help,¡± Alicia hid behind her note book again, ¡°it¡¯s romantic.¡± Kai just barely heard her whisper the last part, he didn¡¯t think he was being romantic at all, Syl more than deserved a body. Syl however got up and pulled the little el¡¯vei woman into a hug, ¡°I knew I liked you.¡±