Seraphina asked, "What are you?" John, with a smile, replied, "It's not 'what,' but 'who.' I'm John. I apologize, but I feel I shouldn't be here just yet. I'm returning to the surface. I have a promise to fulfill with a couple of birds up there." Seraphina admitted, "I don't like the light." John proposed, "Okay, then come up when it's dark. If you wish to continue this conversation, it will have to be up there." She explained, "I don't hate the light; it just makes me uncomfortable. Okay, then I will find you tonight." John disappears returning to the surface.
Upon reaching the dungeon's threshold, John was greeted by silence until Will's voice pierced the quiet, "You're back? Why didn't you stay longer?" John responded smoothly, "The time wasn't right. Plus, I've come across some intriguing information that needs consideration. We'll talk later." He then turned to the two girls, cautioning them, "Take it easy. After you leave, come see me; we have matters to discuss." With that, John made his way to his quarters, Will following closely. "Encounter Seraphina, did you?" Will probed. "Indeed," confirmed John. "And her lineage?" Will pressed on. "A mix of human and vampire," John, hesitating mid-stride. "Why tail me?" John queried. Will's response came with a hint of concern, "Just notice the stares you're drawing." John then became aware of the many eyes fixed upon him. "See, I'm just ensuring your safe return," Will explained. John arrived at his destination without any problems.
Upon entering his courtyard, John mused aloud to Max, "I believe I'm beginning to grasp the essence of this realm. What sets us apart? Why is it that our former world lacks spirit energy? There, we focus on cultivating the mind until death, after which we arrive here, where spirit energy abounds. In death, we exist as spirits. So, considering this perspective, what makes me unique? I have you, Max. As an AI, you're immune to death; it cannot affect you since you're of a mechanical nature, whereas I am of a biological one." "Now, when I arrived here, I was younger. Why? Because death seized me but could not take away the part that was you, so I became younger and remembered my former life."
This allows me to wield the magic of time. When I catch and end the life of a fish, I truncate its timeline, thereby absorbing temporal energy upon consuming it. Additionally, I can decelerate my perception of time with magical assistance. My domain is time, whereas yours is space. Consider this: upon receiving the stat sheet, you acquired an additional spatial slot. Neither death nor life can influence space or time. Currently, my stats are enigmatic, signifying my incomplete understanding of this realm. Envision the dungeons as domains of death. In death, we are interred, and the dungeon, teeming with demise, mirrors this. It could be construed as hell, where the deeper one ventures, the more arduous the journey becomes. With each level surmounted, strength is gained. And indeed, it must be hell, for there are no rivers to fish – a personal inferno, at least by my reckoning.
The surface is the initial point of arrival for souls in the spirit realm. I believe that when they pass away here, they return to our former world, thus creating a cycle of life and death. One realm trains the mind, while the other nurtures the spirit. with that said we you and me max are not in the life and death circle because time and space can't be affected by death. but there must be fairness in all so I can die but for use it would just be more like taking two steps forward then one back. Upon completing the first ten floors, I was awarded titles as rewards. Titles, akin to names, that hold power. Since time measures growth, passing each floor grants me a maximum increase of ten to all stats, which is the highest growth per level. Initially, everyone's stat sheet starts with a base of ten. While others receive achievement bonuses, I attain the maximum because death is not a judge of time.
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Beast cores are collected as spoils of war, allowing people to gain the experience of the beasts they've slain. However, these cores contain impurities or time, so they are processed into pills using methods to removes time magic. Letting people use just the spirt energy. The more I slay, the more time magic I accumulate. To avoid becoming a deranged killer, I will limit my battles to dungeons, which are akin to hell. My goal is to fish in the heavens, which can only be done above ground. It's natural for animals to kill for food, and they would kill me for the same reason, so I must be prepared to defend myself, if necessary, not for the sake of gaining power. That is for the struggles of hell.
Now I understand that my magical realm is time, and yours is space. I believe I could execute a maneuver similar to a blink step, and with your assistance, as we wield influence over time and space. However, the key consideration is how much time and space magic my body can withstand. This is the root of my hesitation; I am not yet equipped to handle such formidable power. It's crucial to progress incrementally, beginning with perceiving time at a reduced rate, then gradually moving to traverse time as my capabilities expand. This could elucidate why certain things are soul-bound; they are tied to a space within your spirit. It's akin to a stat sheet, merely reflecting an individual's development.
Max spoke up, confirming that his findings from the dungeon aligned with ours. He revealed that upon reaching the 100th floor, one is transported to an entirely new realm because they have proved their worth. Additionally, the dungeon confirmed that the growth increment of plus 10 in all stats was accurate. This enhancement would occur during sleep, starting tonight with the first level, and subsequent updates would follow as one's capacity increased. The dungeon proposed a barter: it desired to use Max's music to enhance the dungeon diving experience. In return, Max would be granted administrative rights over the dungeon, allowing him to introduce new elements like fish. However, there was a stipulation: for a new creature to be created within the dungeon, it must first perish there. Thus, to reproduce fish, one must be brought in and sacrificed. Any suggestions for changes would be subject to the dungeon's approval. John agreed to this arrangement, suggesting that his new identity as a being not entirely human could be named after this unique role, which also seemed to explain some of his innate talents. On that day john became the first member of the new race of 'admin'.