Chapter 2
[Unable to grant Heavenly Ability. Error. Detecting… This universe does not allow for more than one talent at a time. Heavenly Ability is called talent… Rectifying… Completed.]
[Congratulations, you have received: “Talentless Grade 1 - Gain one additional slot to your talent pool, you can upgrade this skill further… (expand)” Level: Basic]
– Huh? Okay… guess I can only use two skills at a time. Thanks, can’t believe you actually gave one for free-
[Reinitiating ability transfer…]
Not long after receiving his skills, the system began to grant his hands the magical ability to relocate any object to any position. A cold sensation ran through his body, up his head and down his spine and arms, as the system finished. Somehow, he already knew he had the ability to teleport and magically knew how to use it. He could only smile... and then he used it on himself, laying his hand over himself and activating his ability.
Suddenly, his astral projection instantly repositioned next to the Sword Saint and the battle, yet the slashes and blades flowed through him as if he wasn’t there, cutting nothing but air. Nor did anyone see him as well. The battle still raged on, and he was left there alone in his new location.
Hmm, seems about right. This is good. Progress is being made at least, but using my teleport skill was exhausting, even with my non-physical body. Even so, in this state, he is still unable to move as he touches the barrier that's following him, confirming his status, and he’s still semi-livid that he can’t interact with anything.
Wait… why don’t I teleport the barrier?
Then, he quickly does so, exhausting him even further, and for a brief moment, the barrier is gone. Unfortunately, not soon after, the barrier suddenly reappears, and Spark can’t help but curse. Damn.
Thus, he was left with nothing to do and he began to spin the Wheel at Fortune again-
Another fell.
Another damning roar from the young Sword Saint.
With that shout, Spark quickened his pace and, this time, he didn't stop to check each one. He spins and he spins, over and over, burning through the remainder of his nine Tickets. The system followed suit and declared the following as he half listened to them, distracted by the feeling of each new skill empowering him through his astral body.
(Note: each skill is depicted as:)
Gray - Basic
Blue - Advanced
Purple - Legendary
Gold - Mythical
[Congratulations, you have received: “Nine Diagrams Mystic Constitution - Create the perfect body through multiple diagrams, able to regenerate… (expand)”]
[Level: Advanced]
[You have received: “The Eight-Eyes - Eyes of Clairvoyance, Eyes of Lord, Eyes of Reality, and Eyes of Truth, these allow… (expand)”]
[Level: Legendary]
[You have received: “Shadow Bodies Creation - Form and dispute animated bodies crafted of shadows, the creation menu … (expand)”]
[Level: Basic]
[You have received: “True Name - No one will gain your name ever, no one can use your name, no one can chant your.… (expand)”]
[Level: Basic ]
[You have received: “Infinite Arsenal - Able to utilize any projectiles as ammunition, creating infinite projections of… (expand)”]
[Level: Basic]
[You have received: “Haijin Transaction Domain - Rewrite history to fit an ancient market into the world’s saga, tales and myths, creating… (expand)”]
[Level: Legendary]
[You have received: “Phoenix Elixir of Regression - Time traveling back in one’s age and regress, cooldown is every 12,000 years… (expand)”]
[Level: Legendary]
[You have received: “Wings of Archangels - Three pairs of angels merge from back of the spine, utilizing air manipulations to… (expand)”]
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[Level: Advanced]
[You have received: “Universal Addition - Expand on a universal law. Create a rule that has not existed before and present time.”]
[Level: Mythical]
– … holy crap. I-I hit a freaking jackpot!
He shakily exclaims, perceiving the power of each skill coursing through him, as he widens his deep-amber eyes at the rarity of his abilities, gaping at the three Legendary skills and one extra mythical one. When they flowed into his body, they instantly locked themselves under his talent pool, unable to be used unless he swapped two of his current skills for another. Thanks to receiving the skill “Talentless Grade 1”, he could use two Heavenly Abilities and switch them out for a different skill. That might pose a problem in the future, but he couldn’t care less in the current time.
Following the depletion of all his tickets, the barrier persisted, obstructing him, only remaining until the boy's death. He knew this would happen, sighing to himself, but he has a plan now. And he can’t wait to implement it.
Switching his current talents, "100% Critical Strike" and "True Teleport", for "The Eight Eyes" and "Universal Addition”, his body trembles in an unnatural pleasure, twisting his eyes and brain to reform into something new. His visions start to shift in bright blue and purple contrast, unable to concentrate on his surroundings, and he lets his astral body ease and relax in contentment, letting the skills and new sensations wash over him.
Then, fully transformed, his eyes fluttered open, shocked at his new 4k HD-like sight.
Every crack, every fissure, every detail… were lay before his eyes. Everything. He could project a 3D map in a radius around him in his mind’s eye.
Not only was it like viewing every object and person under a full resolution microscope, but it had no tunnel vision nor limitation. The broad perspective and microscopic details were overwhelming, allowing him to observe everything and anything… or at least it would have been too much if it wasn’t for his newly transcended eyes and brains.
No. He wasn’t here for this, even if the eyes could illustrate a phantom path of the future, indicating the next moves of the cultivators-
Wait, what?!? No, nevermind. I’m just here for this.
Upon finishing his thoughts, he activates his other skill, “Universal Addition”, and his eyes quickly change into a stoic and calculating stare.
I command thee, worlds, stars, cosmos, to heed my call. With this order–
He knew the chant. He already acknowledges the type of power it held.
--I pronounce this law as an absolute truth. No one in front of me shall die, ever again.
Yet, he does not know the limitation. The boundaries.
It fails. He instinctively knew, and somehow possessed the knowledge of an individual owning an ability of immortality, contradicting his skill’s description of “must create something new.”
But he will sacrifice anything… to never see a pain-filled face again.
I command thee, worlds, stars-
He tried again.
…
Yet, something bothers him. The memories… of his past… they alluded him, comparing the hugging brother and sister to the ones in his mind.
The acceptance of loss, plastered across their face, and a weeping figure, too akin to his old family. It pains him.
The worst thing was, he knew what they were probably going to say, “Please, Yang Xial, save yourself… and thank you. Thank you for everything you’ve done.”
He knew this… because he was all too familiar with it, turning his head toward the family and breaking his chanting. And proving him right, a younger child started to say, “Senior Brother Xial, this is enough! Stop this action at once, by the order of the imperial prince… or what was left of it.”
“I command you to retreat! You’re the only one who’s capable of escaping… Please, you’ve done enough,” he pleaded, his words trailing into desperation.
He couldn’t understand them at all due to the language barrier, yet he knew the gesture of selflessness too well.
“I-”
Clank.
Another sword clanging with each other.
“Please… I don’t want to see you suffer anymore. Just leave us,” he quietly said, a determined mix of acceptance and resolve, “It hurts us more to see you risk everything for us. Please, just go.”
His words, once steeped in authority, now faltered into a mere whisper, laced with inevitable sadness. It was a foolish endeavor, he realized, to think he could ever dictate the actions of the Sword Saint, especially when they first met. He has regret, a lot of it. Yet, the only thing he could do, no… the redeeming thing to do is to save his friend.
“Heh, friends,” He chuckled softly to himself, a bittersweet acknowledgment of their bond.
With this statement, the child starts to walk out of the circle of the remaining six, moving toward the Nascent Soul cultivators. His actions sparked immediate panic. “What are you doing?!” came the alarmed cry from one of the elders amongst them.
Something’s going to happen. Something bad.
“This is the only way,” he answered distinctly, his voice steady yet tinged with an undercurrent of sorrow. “He remains because he believes there's something worth protecting. If I’m gone, he'll have no choice but to flee,” he said with a soft smile, fear and happiness gripping his heart.
“We stand no chance in this battle... We’re merely lambs awaiting slaughter. But, I’m still glad. That I was able to save one last vassal, a friend,” he whispers with a radiant smile, stepping forward to the battlefield.
No. Not again.
Then, he died.
A slash.
Too quick for the common eye, his upper body magically slides off his lower half, especially those observed among the circle of elderly and youths. Yet, he saw everything. His Eight-Eyes.
A small pocket of air cleaved through the waist and out his spine, bisecting him in half. It didn’t stop as it barreled onward to a distant mountain, reshaping it as if it were cutting paper.
…
The battlefield goes silent as Spark stood there, blankly staring at a void.
…
I command thee, worlds, stars, cosmos, to heed my call. With this order, I pronounce this law as an absolute truth.
Suddenly, He continues his chanting, unfazed by the processing happening on the battlefield. A plan. A way to undo all of this.
Switching his current skill, “Eight-Eyes”, for “Phoenix Elixir of Regression”, he finished his chant:
There shall be Judgment, Order, and Exchange.
His Mythical ability “Universal Addition” activated.