After a while I realize that what I am doing isn't going to work, I can't alter the skill by force. So I sit back and try to think of another way to go about it, one that works with the system. So far my skill system has always responded to my efforts, as long as I put in the appropriate effort.

The trick is I need to push my meditation skill in a way that the system will recognize. If I can do that then the system should upgrade the skill for me, or the test will. So basically right now I have two systems to work with, both are capable of upgrading my skill.

So for the next several hours I try everything I can think of to deepen my meditation. When that doesn't work I start wracking my brain trying to recall every trick ever mentioned about meditation in manga. It is as I am struggling to recall manga that I only read once that something happens.

??? says "Skill Fusion Triggered!"

Skill Fusion: Meditation + Void!

New Skill: Zen Meditation!

*DING*

Congratulations! You have acquired the mental skill Zen Meditation!

Zen Meditation

Level 1

Wis +20, Will Power +5

Recovery. HP 5/Minute SP 5/Minute

'Not exactly what I had in mind! What does Void have to do with meditation?'

Curious as to what has changed I quickly go back into meditation, but find myself in a room. It is a decent sized room but it is completely blank and empty, until I think of something. As soon as I think of something it appears, so this is basically a smaller version of the soulscape.

As I am just starting to experiment a window suddenly appears in one of the walls. Looking through the window allows me to see that a guard has entered my cell carrying my dinner. That is awesome, I can be aware of what is around me without breaking my meditation!

Exiting my meditation I give a friendly nod to the guard and after he leaves I eat my dinner. As soon as I am done eating I go back to exploring my new skill. Just like the soulscape I can create anything I can imagine, it also allows me to recall everything perfectly.

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From that I would guess it was my level of concentration when I was trying to remember manga that triggered the fusion. Not only is this new meditation skill more versatile, the recovery speed is much better. The old skill restored fifty per hour, this new skill restores three hundred per hour.

That is just at level one, who knows how high it will go as the skill levels up. I quickly find out that as long as I am in the room I can do all sorts of things automatically. Sending the sacred power into my core as it recovers is set up with a single thought. Now I can listen to music or watch tv while I am meditating, it helps the time pass much faster.

By morning I have found most of the limits of the meditation, but my favorite thing is I can watch my life like it was a movie. Although, watching myself at the beginning of this life when I was thrown into the pit stirs up a lot of bad memories. However, going back over this life so far does remind me of a few things that I had forgotten about.

For example I still have the cores and gear I got from the two angels I killed. I wonder if now that I am a sacred creature instead of a demon I can do something with those. I also promised to introduce Rachel to the goddesses but never did because I got distracted.

After a little experimenting I find that I can create a mental list of things I need to do and it will stay in the room until I do it. Now I won't keep forgetting about things I need to do just because something more important came up. When I get back to Illium there are a lot of things I need to take care of.

In the morning the window appears again when the guard enters with my breakfast. At first I intend to ignore him in favor of learning more but that changes when I see Roland follow him in.

Roland says "Morning, you were right."

"I take it the scouts reported back?"

Roland says "Just now, and it is worse than we thought."

"So, what do you plan to do?"

Roland says "As you asked I have ordered the evacuation. Zimmy has also sent out adventurer's to help with the evacuation and to hunt foraging parties."

"Okay, that's a good start."

Roland says "What should we do next?"

"Why are you asking me? I am just a prisoner, remember!"

Roland says "You are not going to help?"

"It's not like I can run a war from in here! You are the strategist, start thinking of ways to fight the invasion."

Roland says "There is not much I can do with just my troop!"

"So call the other captains together and explain the situation to them!"

Roland says "Kriton and Drake are still hiding in the court."

"Do it without them then. You might want to include Zimmy for the strategy meeting."

Roland says "Why her?"

"Because, while I am in here my troop has orders to only obey her. Also, I told the mercenaries to follow her commands as well."

Roland says "What?! Did you know you would be put in prison?"

"Not exactly. But I knew the nobles wouldn't stand for me being the first captain."

Roland says "If you predicted something like this happening, why did you give so much power to Zimmy?"

"Because she is the only one I trust completely. The rest of the captains would have to obey the king."

Roland says "You think she would go against the king for you?"

"I am pretty sure she would. Speaking of, has the king made any moves yet?"

Roland says "No, he called a strategy meeting but he didn't invite the captains."

"Well, my advice is whatever strategy the nobles come up with, you should do the opposite."

Roland says "You really don't trust the nobles, do you?"

"Do you?"