Kai's eyes scanned the notice, his mind churning with thoughts. Two options glowed on the screen before him: {Yes/No}. He contemplated the choices, weighing the potential outcomes. But before a full minute had passed, a smile began to play on his lips. “My answer is already clear, and you should already know it,” he declared, a playful lilt in his voice.
The screen seemed to react to his words, the 'Yes' option pulsating with anticipation. But just as the system was about to proceed, Kai interjected. “Of course it’s a NO.”
His declaration sent the screen into a flicker. Gradually, the chosen option shifted to: No. Yet, it was as if the system was reluctant to accept his decision. Kai waited patiently for his choice to be confirmed, but as the system hesitated, he couldn't help but tease. “How many years will you take to choose: No?”
His voice echoed in the room, prompting the system to finally settle on: No. “Good,” Kai murmured, a satisfied smile on his face. But it seemed the system wasn’t content with his decision.
{You could have gained your own personal army to do the works for you. Sigh… I thought you were smarter than the previous one.}
“I didn’t know you could sigh,” Kai retorted, a chuckle escaping his lips. “But yeah, I am not like others.” His tone shifted abruptly, becoming cold and serious. “Rather than working with others, I prefer to work alone.” His voice echoed in the room, devoid of any emotion. Kai's icy words hung in the air, a stark contrast to the warm light emanating from the screen.
The system froze, no words forming, while on the other side, Dominaredor was starting to tremble. “…Master…” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Dominaredor's trembling voice echoed in his ears, pulling him back from the edge of his cold demeanor. He blinked, the reality of the situation sinking in.
"Ah," he murmured, his voice softening. He turned to look at Dominaredor, his eyes no longer cold but filled with concern. "I apologize. I didn't mean to... I got carried away."
His hand reached out, hovering in the air as if he wanted to comfort her but wasn't sure how. He let out a sigh, pulling his hand back and running it through his hair. "I didn't mean to scare you. I... I just..." Dominaredor looked up at him, her eyes wide and filled with a mix of fear and relief. "Master..." she began, her voice still shaky. "I... I was just… I didn't…" He paused, struggling to find the right words. A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I guess I got a bit too into character, huh?"
He chuckled, the sound echoing in the room. It was a warm sound, a stark contrast to his earlier cold tone. "Let's move forward, shall we?" he said, his voice filled with determination.
Dominaredor nodded, a small smile appearing on her face. "Yes, Master."
“Ah!” Kai looked at her, as he reached his hand to her, patting her. “Also, I already have a good partner for me.” He says, as Dominaredor starts to lit up. She hugs him, as Kai continues to pat her. “But I will surely get you a better name.” he says, his voice filled with his resolve to get her a better name.
Later on, he continues to look through the list of skills. Dominaredor, curious about what he was doing, moved closer to him. “What are you doing, master?” she asked, her voice filled with curiosity. Kai looked at her, explaining that he was choosing a skill that would be useful in times of need. With that, he continued to peruse the list, his eyes narrowing in concentration.
Dominaredor, eager to help, jumped over him and started reading the list of skills along with him. As they went through the list, Kai couldn’t help but comment on each skill like before. “Master… if you keep on pointing out the disadvantages of each skill, you won’t be able to find a good skill for yourself.” Dominaredor puts her statement, as Kai sighs. “I wish I could just create a skill I want to, with both advantages and disadvantages in it.”
Just as Kai spoke up, another screen appeared. {If you can make a skill for yourself, why do you want to add disadvantages to it as well?}
The system asks, as Kai laughs lightly. “It’s for balance,” he says. The system remained silent for a moment before responding. {Balance, huh? That's an interesting perspective.}
Kai chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Well, isn't life all about balance?"
Dominaredor watched the exchange, her eyes wide with curiosity. She had never seen the system interact with anyone like this before. It was as if Kai had a unique way of communicating with it, a way that was both commanding and respectful.
As Kai continued to browse through the list of skills, Dominaredor couldn't help but lean in closer, her eyes scanning the screen. She was eager to help, to be a part of Kai's decision-making process. But as she looked at the list, she realized she didn't understand half of the skills listed.
"Master," she began, her voice hesitant. "Could you explain some of these skills to me?"
Kai turned to look at her, a soft smile on his face. "Of course. I'd be happy to explain."
And so, he began to explain each skill, his voice steady and patient. He talked about the advantages and disadvantages of each one, his words painting a vivid picture in Dominaredor's mind. She listened attentively, her eyes sparkling with interest.
After some time, they had gone through the whole list of skills, but Kai didn't like any of it. "You didn't like any of it, Master?" Dominaredor asked, as Kai just chuckled. "It's not like that, I just didn't find any skill that I think will suit my style. Guess I will just take the Shadow clone then," he said, when a new screen appeared. {You really are a picky one, huh. I will allow it just this once,} it stated, as Kai reads the words forming in it.
{You have the option to create a Custom skill. But that skill must be shadow related. Would you like to proceed?}
Kai looked at the screen, his eyes widened in surprise. "So, you know how to be kind as well, huh." He says, as the screen remains silent. He turned to look at Dominaredor, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. "What do you think? Shall we create our own skill?"
"Yes! It will be fun!" She exclaims, jumping up and down. Kai and Dominaredor sat in front of the screen, their eyes focused on the new option that had appeared. {Create a custom skill}. Kai's fingers hovered over the keyboard, his mind buzzing with ideas. He turned to look at Dominaredor, a determined look in his eyes.
"Let's create a skill named ‘Shadow Walk’, " he said, his voice steady. Dominaredor looked at him, her eyes wide with anticipation. "Shadow Walk?" she echoed, her voice filled with curiosity.
Kai nodded, his fingers beginning to type. "Yes, 'Shadow Walk'.” He declared, as his fingers started to run through the screen. “It will be an active, physical skill. It will cost 100 MP and its element will be neutral." He paused, his eyes scanning the screen. "The description on how it works will be..." Kai started to type the details on the skill.
Dominaredor watched as Kai typed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She had never seen a skill being created before, and the process was fascinating. She watched as Kai inputted the details, his fingers moving swiftly over the keyboard.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Once he was done, he leaned back, his eyes scanning the screen one last time. "There," he said, a satisfied smile on his face. "Our custom skill, 'Shadow Walk', is ready."
Dominaredor looked at the screen, her eyes wide with awe. The skill they had created was displayed on the screen, its details neatly listed. She turned to look at Kai, a smile on her face. "Master, we did it! We created our own skill!"
Kai chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Yes, we did it." Their skill was finally ready, as the screen displayed the skill description to them.
[Skill Name: Shadow Walk
Type: Active, Physical
MP Cost: 100
Element: Neutral
Description: Shadow Walk briefly grants the user an additional attack effect of 10 slashes along with Evasion. Although the damage of the additional attacks is low, this skill allows the user to move like a shadow, increasing their attack power and evasion rate for a period of time. If the evasion is countered at the right timing, the user might also nullify the attack thrown at him.
However, the effect is reset if the user takes damage. This skill cannot be used repeatedly in quick succession, requiring strategic timing for optimal use.]
As Kai and Dominaredor finished creating their custom skill, the system seemed to pause for a moment. Then, words began to form on the screen.
{Impressive… ‘Shadow Walk’ is a skill that even I hadn’t thought of.}
Kai looked at the screen, a smirk playing on his lips. “Oh? So even the system can be surprised.”
{Indeed. The concept of nullifying any form of attacks is unique. It adds an element of unpredictability and strategy to the upcoming battles.}
Dominaredor looked at the screen, her eyes wide with awe. “Master, even the system is praising you!”
Kai chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “Well, it’s not every day you impress a system, right?”
{Your creativity and strategic thinking are commendable. This skill could change the dynamics of battles in unforeseen ways.}
Kai nodded, a determined look in his eyes. “That’s the plan. With ‘Shadow Walk’, we’ll have an edge in battles.”
The system remained silent for a moment before responding. {I look forward to seeing how you utilize ‘Shadow Walk’ in your battles.}
Kai grinned, his eyes filled with anticipation. “Well, I can say one thing for sure. You won’t be disappointed.” Dominaredor started to brag to the system about her master being Kai, when a thought structs Kai. "By the way, how much time do I have left?" he asked, as the screen flickered and displayed.
{15 minutes remaining.}
Kai paused, wondering to himself. “Hmm…” Kai turned to the system, his voice steady. “Show me my stats. Along with my HP and MP”
The screen flickered, and a new window appeared. It displayed a list of numbers that made Kai’s eyes widen in shock.
[Stats:
Level: 156
Max HP: 5091
Max MP: Infinite
Strength: 105
Intellectual: 113
Vitality: 124
Agility: 101
Dexterity: 109
Extra Stats Points: 223]
Kai stared at the screen, his mind reeling. “Infinite MP?” Kai finally spoke, his eyebrows raised in disbelief. "No wonder I was able to keep the barrier for so long," me mused to himself. The realization of what this meant brought a smirk to his face. With infinite MP, he could cast spells and use skills without ever worrying about running out of magical energy. It was an unprecedented advantage that would undoubtedly change the way he approached every battle and challenge from now on.
Kai’s smirk widened as he gently extricated himself from the group hug. “Looks like I’ve got an endless supply of magic now,” he announced, his voice tinged with excitement. “That’s… that’s incredible!”
Kai, still smirking at his newfound power, turned his attention to the system. "But, why do I have infinite MP?" he asked, curiosity lacing his tone.
The system, which had been showing his stats, flickered to life. {When the previous one was summoned her for the first time, had a wish for magic powers beyond the ordinary. To fulfill that wish, I granted him infinite MP.}
“…Just like that…?” Kai mused, raising an eyebrow, intrigued by this piece of history.
“And the stats… this is the boost I got using Dominaredor, right?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The screen flickered in response. {That’s right. But even I didn’t think you would grow this strong after just one fight.}
Kai let out a low whistle, his eyes still glued to the screen. “I see… Hmm, show me the progression status,” he commanded, his voice filled with anticipation.
The screen flickered again, revealing another set of data.
[Progression Status:
IQ: Undetermined
Battle IQ: Undetermined
Experience: Not Sure
Total Progress: 60%
Success Rate: 89%]
“Oi! I can understand why my experience is ‘not sure’, but why are my IQ and battle IQ ‘Undetermined’?” He asked, pointing at the stats in front. To his question, a new screen materialized next to him.
The system took a moment before responding, its text appearing with a hint of hesitation. {Calculating your IQ and Battle IQ has proven to be… difficult. But if you want an honest answer, I would say your actual face is hidden under many masks, making it impossible to determine your true intellectual and combat potential.}
Kai paused, reading the system’s response. He leaned back, his mind buzzing with thoughts. He remained silent for some time, as if he had fallen into deep thinking.
Just then, a memory stirred within Kai. He was taken back to his second visit to the dungeon, a question he had asked the system echoing in his mind. It was about the previous owner of the body, about how he had met his end. Now that he had a moment of respite, he turned his gaze to the screen.
“Maybe you can now answer the question I asked you last time?” he asked, his voice steady but laced with a hint of anticipation. Dominaredor looked at him, then to the screen, her eyes reflecting the confusion she had.
Kai kept his eyes on the screen, but the screen stayed silent. The usual flicker of words absent. The silence stretched on, the tension in the room escalating with each passing second.
Finally, words formed on the screen. {About the death of the previous one, right?}
Kai nodded. The atmosphere around them shifted, the air growing heavy with unspoken words and hidden truths. The system finally broke its silence, the words appearing on the screen like a verdict. {The previous one died in the chamber of the boss in this dungeon.} Kai's eyes widened at the revelation to it.
{Unlike you, he went straight to the dungeon’s boss, fighting off a few golems and hounds along the way. He did complete side quests, but they were not as challenging as yours. His tasks involved killing 3 to 5 golems, or similar quests.}
Kai’s mind raced as he processed the information. "So, he had taken a more direct approach, charging headfirst into the boss’s chamber. He hadn’t taken the time to explore or complete the more challenging side quests like I had." As he whispered to himself, a thought struck him then, a realization that sent a chill down his spine. “So, once I enter the boss chamber, I won’t be able to exit it, huh,” he muttered to himself.
The system flickered again, words forming in response to his statement, along with a picture of a blue orb, with a leaf craved on it. Under it was the name, ‘Safe Point’.
{You can escape from the boss through the use of ‘Safe Point’ if you think you can’t beat it. It’s an escape item we gave to him before he entered the boss chamber.}
Kai’s eyes widened at this revelation. "So, there is an escape route, huh?" That changed thing. But then a question nagged at him, a puzzle piece that didn’t fit. “Then why did he not escape?” he asked, his voice echoing in the silent room.
The system took a moment before replying. {He didn’t even get the chance to use it.}
The words hung in the air, a grim reminder of the danger that lay ahead. Kai took a deep breath, as he proceeded to ask more questions. As the time passed, countdown on the screen began, Kai let out a sigh. "Guess time's up," he mused, turning to look at Dominaredor. "I have to go now," he said, his voice filled with regret.
Dominaredor's face fell at his words. "I wish I could go with Master as well," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Kai gave her a reassuring smile. "Once I complete this whole dungeon, I will take you to the real world," he declared.
At his words, Dominaredor's face lit up. She started jumping in the air, cheering Kai on. "Master, you can do it!" she exclaimed, her voice echoing in the room. "Right," Kai gives her a last smile.
As the timer reached zero, a bright light enveloped the area. Kai closed his eyes, bracing himself for the transition. When he opened them again, he was back in his room. He thinks to himself, "I am bac-" but his words trailed off as he took in the scene before him.
Hiro, Sakura, and Elysia were all gathered around him, their faces etched with worry and tears streaming down their cheeks. By the chair, seated Lala and Ana, with Aiden and Ainz standing besides them, their faces filled with relief looking at him. Ana took off her seat, slowly approaching him. Kai scratched his head, taken aback by their reactions. "What's wrong?" he wondered. He reached out to his table, about to pick his notebook and pen.
But before he could, Sakura, Elysia, and Ana lunged at him, wrapping their arms around him in a tight hug. Their bodies shook with sobs, their tears soaking his shirt. Kai was confused, but he knew what to do. He could only pat their backs, a soft smile on his face.
-To be continued