Main quest

Step 1/2: take over Rane

Stage 1/7: Gain level 2 cultivation and one associate.

Timeframe: one month

Punishment for failure: removal of system and cultivation

Rewards: 12,000 exp, level 1 skill of choice, bloodline upgrade.

Side quests: N/A

General mission: N/A

“How much is 12,000 exp?”

[Open the shop, dumbass]

“Fuck you.”

Orion felt a random sharp pain in his head and internally cursed the system. He focused on the shop tab and the panel morphed once more. The shop was divided into five categories: elixirs, artifacts, skills, cultivation methods and physiques. He opened the cultivation methods as cultivation seemed to be the most straightforward way to power. Right after that thought passed through his head, the robotic voice once more appeared in his head.

[Be careful. If you rise to a high cultivation level with a weak foundation, you won’t be able to contend with others of your level. Also, you may attract the attention of some undesirable powerhouses. Plus, battle power is not to be underestimated. A level 9 fighter with good physiques, aspects, Dao, artifacts and bloodline can even contend with a level 10 with weaker battle power, although it probably won’t work between 10 and 11 as that gap is just too huge.]

After pondering that for a few seconds, Orion nodded. He opened the physiques tab and felt his jaw hit the floor. The cheapest option, a level 1 physique, cost 200,000 exp!

“System, what the hell?”

“Dude, you think you’re going to get enough exp from the easiest quest I’m ever going to give you to get you a whole physique? Those things are pretty powerful.”

With an internal grumble, Orion opened the skills tab. After scrolling for a bit, he set his eyes on a 12,000 exp ‘Fireball’ skill. Since this was a pretty cheap skill, it would only allow him to throw small fireballs, but it would still be helpful to stun and hurt opponents and light fires for cooking.

He closed the system and looked around his gross hideout. it was certainly a step down from home, but he supposed it would have to do. Before leaving his hideout, he decided he should allocate his skill points. As he opened his stats, his eyes widened and he broke into manic laughter.

[What the hell is so funny?]

“What does luck do?”

[Well, its hard to quantify, but it basically makes things go your way.]

“So, theoretically, if I had high enough luck, everything would just happen the way I want it to?”

[Well yes, but-]

Orion cut off the system and allocated all his points into luck. He was the only being in existence that had the ability to change his luck, and if he got it high enough, he would just chance upon skills and artifacts that would boost his other stats. Also, if he got it really high, he could just win fights with luck by making his opponents sneeze at critical moments or trip and impale themselves on their own swords.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

With a huge smile, he picked up the rusty dagger and set out to begin his quest. Although the last half-hour had been full of incredible shocks, somewhat tempering his nerves, he still wasn’t prepared for how insanely crowded the capital was. As he emerged from his hideout, he had to press himself against a wall to avoid being trampled by a group of dangerous-looking men running after a guard.

Orion had decided that he should first cultivate and then secure an associate because he thought no one would want to work with a meek level 1 cultivator. After some thought, he called upon the system.

[What do you want, asshole?]

“Come on now, don’t be mad at me.”

[Yeah, whatever. What do you want?]

“Is fighting faster than meditation for cultivation?”

[Yeah.]

“Alright. So, what do my skills do?”

[Well, obviously ‘Flight’ lets you fly. ‘All-Seeing Eyes’ is a very powerful utility skill that lets you see an opponent’s cultivation, bloodline, physiques, etc. Of course, this won’t work if the cultivator is far more powerful than you. This is actually a system-exclusive skill, so only you have it, although weaker versions of it do exist publicly. True Form is your most powerful skill. It transforms you into a full blown griffin. With it, you can fight peak-stage level 2s to a standstill even with your level 1 cultivation.”

Although he couldn’t use his ‘True Form’ skill in public, it would still come in handy when he fought stronger opponents. The reason he couldn’t use it in public was that griffins were basically extinct since they came from the extinguished Nief family. If someone saw his true form, they could inform the authorities and Orion would be executed. Flight and all-seeing eyes, however, were absolute treasures for him. ‘Flight’ was a great way to move around and escape guards, and ‘all-seeing eyes’ could help him find opponents he could take on to cultivate.

Orion first had to leave the slums as he did not want to antagonize anyone there. When he made it to the bazaar, he activated ‘All-Seeing Eyes’ and searched for a target. His face lit up as he chanced upon the very same guard that had chased him yesterday. He saw his cultivation was non-existent and he was therefore easy prey. He walked up to a random fruit stand and took an apple, drawing a yell from the seller, which he threw at the guard before flipping him off. When the guard noticed him, his eyes widened with rage and he took up chase. Orion ran at a pace that the guard could just barely match to keep him on his tail. He ducked under fruit carts, vaulted merchant stands and stole an orange along the way, causing a cry of protest from the poor merchant to sound behind him. After running for another minute or so, he saw his chance: a dark, barely visible alley with a dead end. He swerved into it, waiting for the guard to follow him. In there, people could barely see them, and they were in the poorer part of the bazaar anyways, where people couldn’t care less about a beating in an alleyway. He turned around and waited for the guard to enter the alleyway, fists at the ready. When the guard came in, Orion threw everything he had into a punch at the guard’s face. Luckily for the guard, he expected this and managed to dodge, but did not expect the follow up kick to his stomach. He doubled over in agony and surprise at the might of the kick. Orion picked up the guard as if he were a ragdoll and threw him to the back of the alleyway. He approached him with languid, threatening steps and a сreepy smile. The guard stumbled up and pulled out his sword.

“Wha-what happened to you?”

In response, Orion simply unleashed his aura. Although it was only a level 1 aura, it was enough to literally scare the piss out of the guard. He fell to his knees and could barely hold onto his sword as the aura assailed his mind and body. Orion calmly stooped and picked up the sword. A frown descended upon his face as he summoned the system.

“I won the fight, why didn’t I get any cultivation?”

[Oh, right. I’m sorry to tell you this, but for a fight to count, your opponent has to die.]

Although he was prepared to give the guard a beating, he didn’t want to kill him. After all, he was just doing his job. Orion gave the guard a swift punch to the jaw to knock him out and sat down to think. His whole life, he had been far too nice, letting people constantly walk all over him. He decided that now was his opportunity to change. He would seize what he wanted and not care who he hurt along the way. He was his own number one priority and had to look out for himself. Whatever helped him was right, and whatever harmed him was wrong. With a steely expression, he stood up, and placed the sword at the guard’s neck. With a deep breath, he let his sword fall and the poor man’s blood painted the alley. He looked through his pockets and found a few coins, which he immediately pocketed, and a dagger, which he switched for his old, crappy one. He stabbed the sword into the poor guard’s chest, left it there, and quickly made his escape. He dashed out of the alley and made his way over to the pleasure district, where he would try to find some new victims.