A 13 year old Sky stared up at the heavens, her eyes filled with both determination and the fire of youth. Her body was well toned for a teenage girl, and she was nearly a head taller than her peers. Her hair was a glossy black and long, falling to the mid of her back. In front of her was a blue-colored screen that only she could see.
Name: Sky Frederiksen
Age: 13
Gender: Female
Cultivation: Body Refining (7)
Cultivation Technique: Rising River Qigong Method (Low Tier)
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Strength: 999 (6)
Speed: 999 (7)
Accuracy: 999 (6)
Stamina: 999 (9)
Spiritual Will: 999 (10)
Spiritual Sense: 999 (12)
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Classes (lvl): Mage (100), Thief (100), Assassin (100), Battlemage (100), Paladin (100), Oracle (100), Hunter (100), Array Master (100), Alchemist (100), Blacksmith (100), Samurai (100), Knight (100), Summoner (100), Qigong Fighter (100), Martial Artist (100), Healer (100), Spearmaster (77), Tamer (100), Dragon Rider (68)
A strange smile crossed her face as she looked down at the field in front of her, where rows upon rows of other kids her age were all sitting cross-legged trying to refine Qi. The highest among them was her older cousin at the Body Refining 8th Rung. Casting her eyes at him, Sky called out the word ‘Status’ in her head.
Name: Eric Frederiksen
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Cultivation: Body Refining (8)
Cultivation Technique: Inferno-Style Qigong Method (Low Tier)
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Strength: 7
Speed: 8
Accuracy: 6
Stamina: 9
Spiritual Will: 13
Spiritual Sense 12
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Classes (lvl): Qigong Fighter (2), Martial Artist (2)
In this world, Sky inherited her classes, levels, and stats from the Demoness Sky character account. At the age of five her previous classes were unlocked, and she became the most powerful toddler in history…
Of course, on the outside no one could tell how powerful Sky was. She began cultivating at the age of ten, and purposefully held her cultivation back. Despite that, her speed was well above her peers. The adults all called her gifted, and poured martial resources into her… All of them completely in the dark of Sky’s true strength. On the surface she only showed meager stats, but at the drop of a hat she could unleash her body’s full potential.
“Sky,” A man called out. Sky turned around, recognizing the voice as belonging to her uncle Soren, Eric’s father.
“Yes uncle?” Sky asked as she bowed and clasped her hands to the tall man with a dark-black beard and bald head who was floating down towards her from the sky.
“You’ve made another breakthrough?!” Her uncle asked, his eyes wide. Inside his eyes a faint killing intent could be seen, something Sky could only see due to the powerful class bonuses from the Oracle class.
“Yes uncle,” Sky replied.
“That’s fantastic!” He lied. “You’ll be overtaking Eric soon.”
“Thank you for your kind words, Uncle,” Sky replied, trying to keep her emotions from showing. She knew her uncle hated her. She knew he was jealous of both her talent and the fact that her father was inheriting the family estate. Eric’s talent should have made Soren the first in line for the inheritance, but Sky’s appearance and her incredible performance stole that glory away.
“Your Grandfather wants you to go see him,” Soren replied, still hiding his disdain.
Sky bowed to her uncle and made her way off into the distance. She could feel her uncle’s icy glare boring into her back.
After Sky left, Soren started walking after her. He wore an ugly expression on his face, as if the task of fetching his niece was beneath him.
-
Being only in the Body Refining Rungs meant Sky was incapable of flight. Of course, using her real class powers she could achieve flight easy, but she restrained herself. She jogged, using only the stats someone at her level of cultivation should have.
Slowly the training fields gave way to a large series of brick courtyards and snaking white-stone walls. Grand buildings appeared one after another, until finally the most majestic building on the entire estate came into view. Numerous people were shuffling about here and there, going on about the clan business and dealing with the day to day dealings of running a powerful house.
Sky walked up to the main building and climbed the stone stairs, ignoring the stares from all of the passerby. She was immediately recognized as the ‘clan princess’ and numerous people wanted to catch sight of her. Of course, in her own opinion, Sky wasn’t all that pretty. She was fairly average, but—due to her talent and position—those around her viewed her as far more attractive than she did.
Sky hated her body. She hated being womanly, and actively trained her muscles to try and bulk out her physique. It was only partially effective and only served to make her body more appealing as she continued to grow.
At the top of the stairs stood a large door. Outside the door stood two guardsmen wearing ornate armors and brandishing spears. They didn’t stop Sky as she entered, having recognized her immediately.
The inside of the building was as grand as the outside. Azure hallways were adorned with gold finish. Every door inside the building was made of 100 year Spirit Wood and the floors were adorned with carpet made from the furs of Spirit Beasts.
Close behind Sky was her uncle Soren, staying far enough back that people could tell they weren’t walking together… Despite them sharing a destination.
Sky turned down a long hall adorned with paintings of the past Patriarchs of the Frederiksen family, each one more ancient than the last, all the way down to the very founder.
At the end of the hallway was a large double-door. Sky pushed it open and walked into what looked to be a round council chamber. At the end of the room was a curved table filled with all of the clan elders. In the center of the table was the current patriarch, Sky’s grandfather, York Frederiksen.
Soren entered just after Sky and hurried over to the curved table and took his seat near the far end. Opposite him sat Sky’s father, Derik Frederiksen.
In front of the table, standing at a podium, was an old man Sky didn’t recognize. However his cultivation base was above even her grandfather. He was in Cracked Core stage. Next to him was a young man Sky did recognize as Ryan Grento, a boy from the Grento clan the same age as her. They were even friends and went on adventures when they were younger. Of course, his personality was rather arrogant, but he acknowledged Sky was superior to him and reigned in his haughtiness in front of her.
A confused look crossed Sky’s face as she looked on. Why was Ryan here? Who was the old man with him? Sky could sense his cultivation and see his stats, but couldn’t determine his name until she was told it. Her cheat powers weren’t omnipotent, unfortunately.
“Sky,” spoke her grandfather. “This is Elron Grento, the patriarch of the Grento branch in this country.”
The old man nodded as Sky’s grandfather introduced him. From his expression, Sky could see where Ryan got his arrogant nature from.
“And you already know Ryan.”
Ryan nodded, imitating his grandfather’s style. Normally he’d wave when he saw Sky, but today he seemed reserved and unmoving.
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“Sky Frederiksen greets the envoy from the Grento Clan,” she said as she curtsied. The motion was rather butchered, but she was never concerned with etiquette anyhow.
Sky’s horrid curtsy drew a frown from the old Grento guy.
“This is the girl?” The old man asked Ryan, his voice laced with disbelief. He seemed surprised. “She has talent sure, but that’s all she has.”
The old man’s words were like arrows. Sky felt like she had just been sucker punched, and her uncle was openly laughing.
“Grandfather, she’s the only one that can match up to me (aside from the Capilli freak). All the rest are too far beneath,” Ryan replied, his voice oddly sharp considering he was speaking with his respected grandfather. Though he did whisper something strange in the middle.
Sky’s eyes went a bit wide as she started to understand what was going on. She wasn’t here to be punished for something…
“Very well. Girl, from now on you’re a daughter-in-law to the Grento family,” said the old codger, as if he could decide the matter alone.
Ryan’s face went bright red as he looked over at Sky. Sky’s face could only be described as being in utter shock. Just as She was about to start yelling, her grandfather stood.
“Now hold on, Elron. We haven’t even asked the girl what she thinks about all of this. I thought you were here for a marriage proposal. That didn’t sound like a proposal.”
“My grandson has taken a liking to this girl,” spoke the old Grento, “And I think she’s just talented enough. I don’t care what her thoughts are. She’s just a Body Refining cultivator from an inferior clan.” A mild killing-intent spread from the old man.
A vein pulsed on Sky’s forehead. Her Qi churned and she stared daggers at both the boy she considered a friend and the rude old man. If he made even one move towards any member of her family, she would smite him then and there. Just as Sky was about to start shouting her father Derik Fredericksen stood up from his seat.
“Why don’t we all just calm down here,” said Derik with a strained smile, knowing full well of his daughter’s impetuous nature. A few others in the room also breathed in relief, noticing Sky’s anger boiling. “Sky is only 13 this year anyways. Talks of marriage can wait until both her and Ryan have graduated from the Academy in three years.”
“That’s right. She’s too young to just outright declare these things, Elron,” Grandfather Frederiksen interrupted.
“Tch. You truly are an ignoble weak clan. Most in our Grento house are engaged and married before their 15th year,” said the old man as he walked towards the door, dragging his grandson with him. He stopped just in front of the exit and asked, “Why are you being difficult anyways?”
“Because I don’t want to marry Ryan,” said Sky, finally interjecting. Her voice was incredibly firm. She liked Ryan as a friend, but she had never once considered him as anything more. The mere thought of relationships terrified her. Even with 13 years to adjust to being a woman, she wasn’t ready to take the next step. Only the heavens knew when she would be. In fact, she had forgotten entirely about the idea of marriage while living to her fullest the last 13 years.
Ryan, still being dragged by his grandfather, looked crestfallen at the statement. Then, a strange determination crossed his face and he looked up to meet Sky’s eyes. The pride of a noble showed and, rather than being an incomprehensible asshat, Ryan found an inner strength that hadn’t been there before.
“Sky, I like you. I know we’re friends, but I want to be more than friends with you. Will you be my wife?” he asked, finding a tremendous amount of courage. His voice didn’t waver.
“No. You are my friend and nothing more.” Sky’s curt words cut back almost on reflex, eliciting a few laughs; the oddest being the old Grento Patriarch who couldn’t hold back a smile--
“Actually, I’m starting to like the girl. She resembles my wife a lot.” He looked down at Ryan with pity in his eyes. Sky tilted her head to the side. The old man’s tone changed too fast.
Elron continued, “You have more sense than I thought, stupid grandson. I won't be forcing anything for now. Two years.” He held up two fingers. “I’ll give your Fredericksen family two years to agree before I have Ryan married off somewhere else. I'm certain you won't find anyone better to take in your daughter, and the shame of being unmarried past 15… You won't wish that on her, will you?”
The old man threw his head back and laughed again as he dragged Ryan out. The door shut behind him and the entire meeting room seemed to release a held breath.
“You stupid girl!” Boomed uncle Soren as he stood. “That is the Grento house! Their elderly master is the Emperor’s uncle! Their daughters serve in the imperial harems. Do you know how high our status would rise if we married a daughter into their main family line?!”
“Soren that’s enough,” growled Derik. “If my daughter doesn’t want to marry someone no one here will make her.”
Sky smiled at her father’s words. She was used to being spoiled, in both this and her last life. Of course, her parents in this life were around far more often. In fact, she felt oddly close to them. To Sky, her father in this life was more important to her than her parents from before. That was also why she used her skills unreservedly to support him from the shadows. It was no secret that he was growing stronger far faster than anyone else in his generation, just like his daughter. Soren was probably feeling the pressure in the race to inherit the position of patriarch.
In fact, had Sky not been so close to her parents she would have ran off long before reaching this point. Only out of love for them did she stay. After all, this was a fantasy world to explore! Sky wanted to see everything it had to offer, not sit in the Frederiksen compound her entire life. It wasn’t like she lacked strength either.
While her uncle and father started fighting, the rest of the family elders shuffled out of the room; some grumbled at the spat between brothers, others laughed and clapped along. Sky caught her grandfather’s eyes and he grinned from ear to ear.
“You broke through again?!” Grandfather Frederiksen said in a loud voice. Everyone stopped moving. Only Soren didn’t seem surprised.
“7th rung at only 13?”
“My god she has more talent than even the founder.”
Immediately people began talking. Soon the entire estate would know. Sky groaned. Then, suddenly, she was picked up in the air and whirled about.
“You silly girl, why didn’t you say something to me earlier!?” Her father asked as he danced with glee. “In fact, had you mentioned your breakthrough earlier, none of these old codgers would have tried to marry you off so easily!”
Sky grinned and then flipped out of her father’s hands. Landing gracefully, she pat down her ruffled clothes.
“I was going to tell you, father. Then all of this popped up,” she replied, hiding a glint in her eyes.
“My god, at this rate the sects will send more recruiters than ever before at the New Year tribute--”
This brief conversation allayed Sky’s previous worries. She hoped she hadn’t been letting her ‘cultivation’ advance too quickly. It seems she was balancing out her talent just right. She wanted to seem gifted, but not monstrous. A gifted child could inherit the clan itself, after all. She had considered using her skills to make a fake ‘Master’ for herself to explain her advancements if it seemed she was going too fast, but her worries were needless. If her father’s biggest concern was recruiters coming later in the year, then her being at level 7 wasn’t too big of a splash.
-
Meanwhile, outside in the bustling city air—
“Grandfather, why did you threaten her?” Ryan Grento asked the old man still pulling at his arm as they walked off the Frederiksen estate. He frowned and glared at the old man with sharp eyes.
“You stupid boy,” the old man replied. “You think I’d threaten a house we’re friendly with without purpose?”
Ryan tilted his head in confusion.
“The old Patriarch of the Frederiksens planned that exchange. We wanted to see how this girl you’re smitten with would react. They say she’s never been interested in romance before. Her mother and grandfather were worried and helped set up something fun to test her.”
“What?” Ryan seemed a bit shaken.
“I also got to see my own adorable Grandson so flustered, hehehehe~” The old man’s tone shifted and his eyes narrowed. He stuck his tongue out and laughed.
“Grandpa stop, please,” Ryan asked as he lowered his head. Other people nearby were staring at the red-faced child and his laughing elder. A few watched with warm eyes; others looked on with colder expressions.
“That girl, though… She’s already at the 7th rung. She has more talent than any sect disciple I’ve ever heard of… And she doesn’t seem to be that aware of how rare she really is. The Frederiksens did good raising her like that. She doesn't’ have your stupid arrogant nature.”
The old man looked down at his grandson. Ryan’s eyes went wide the moment his grandfather said the number seven. Ryan himself was considered a great talent, able to join almost any sect by being at only the 4th rung.
“That girl, when I released some bloodlust to see how she’d react, her Qi started going wild. She would have tried to fight me directly to protect her family. Such a cute child. You did good getting close to her, boy. You have to win her heart in the next few years before she realizes just how high she can really shoot for. She could marry into the Emperor’s family, even. Hell, the emperor himself would probably even take her as a wife if he could, knowing her talents. I know I talked a big game in there, but I was playing the bad guy for her Grandfather so she doesn’t get conceited. You’re now part of this plot, Ryan. If you don’t work hard Talen Capilli might steal her from you.”
...
“But Granpa, Talen is a girl…”
The old man smiled and said, “You really are too young. You do know the King of the Northern Plains is actually a woman, and one with many wives at that. Girls can be just as big of competition for you as men in this world, you know~ I’ve heard that the Capelli’s ankle-biter has had her eyes on...”
The two took a long walk back to the Grento estate and discussed many scandalous things. History would remember this as the day Ryan Grento learned some troubling truths of the world.
“Come, let Grandpa teach you the way to win the hearts of women~”
-
Later that night Sky laid on her bed and stared at the ceiling to her room. In this life she had many things she hadn’t in her last. Sure there were no video games, but this life was like a video game itself. Being a girl was confusing, but it wasn’t all that different from growing up as a boy either. Particularly when her ‘boyish’ interests like fighting, bugs, and adventure weren’t disregarded in this strange world. She had always been a bit of a nerd, after all.
Sky waved her hands and moved the Qi in the air around. She also felt mana and other resources there too from the game Trinity. This world was just like the game, but so much more real. Cultivation systems were mere subsets of the Qigong Fighter class. Most of the world didn’t seem to even know about mana or elemental energy, either. They didn’t seem to know about many things... It was strange, but Qigong was the easiest to tap into by purely training the body. It made some sense, but Sky didn’t think too deeply on it.
With the moon rising in the distance, Sky got up from her bed and changed into a more adventurous outfit. It was time for her weekly outing. On the night of every 6th day (Saturday), ever since her seventh birthday, she had followed the same routine. It was something she started on a whim but found great pleasure in afterwards.
She used illusion magic to hide herself, activated her Thief skills, and then vanished from her room. A small ninjutsu clone was left behind in case the servants decided to check on her.
In the halls of the Mercenary Guild, injured people were standing in a long line outside a small office. A bright glow came from the door, and then it opened up. Standing there, wearing a white mask, was the disguised Sky. She looked like a woman in her forties, her graying hair tied in a lovely bun. She wore brown ascetic robes.
“Come in, let’s get treatments started,” she said with an upbeat tone.
One by one adventurers, mercenaries, soldiers, hunters, and other people living rough lives were herded forward and fully healed free of charge by a wondrous magic.
“Thank you healer Daniela,” said one patron through sobbing tears, his right arm finally working again.
After the last of the injured passed through, the healer Daniela vanished into thin air once again. The Grento guardsmen who came searching for her at this time found only an empty office and unkind words. The townsfolk didn’t take kindly to anyone threatening their ‘jewel’.
Cicada songs faded into the night and the city went to sleep. Only the mighty Lao River spoke, its hushed whispers bubbling over the banks. White fog rolled up the valley. It covered the city and tiptoed all the way to the base of the Fredericksen estate.
Another night passed in peace for the city of Altruce.