Chapter 4

Well, that was better, and I feel good about those skills. I would love to get some rest. Also, I want to know why I’m aware of how this is all crazy, and yet I'm not freaking out. Any ideas? Pneuma? Trint asked.

Sorry to tell you, but your emotions are being manipulated by the System. For your integration to be successful, there are temporary guide rails in place to help you cope with the changes and need to fight. Your performance today showed great improvement and adaptation to your situation. I would say you deserve a chance to rest and consider all that has happened, Pneuma stated.

Trint was not pleased with the answers. No one liked being the object of manipulation. But amid this chaos, he was logically able to process and move forward.

Yes, rest, but where? Trint asked, exasperated. In case you weren’t aware, I was evacuated from the place I awoke from by our friend, Jack. People are after me! I don’t know where I can go that’s safe!

He felt a low, primal rumbling from deep within his chest.

I am afraid that you have been a victim of Jack’s deception. While there are people after you, your location has not been compromised. The house is safe, Pneuma revealed.

Trint’s blood pressure spiked, and he struggled to form a response. However, his unseen companion quickly continued, attempting to placate the man: While I may disagree with some of his methods, it’s hard to argue their effectiveness. Accepting the gift in an Instance kept the light show and power output private from the rest of the i11 inhabitants. Time to go. I’m sure you’ll be able to process everything better after you’ve had a proper rest.

Pneuma provided directions to get back to the house he previously woke up in without issues.

After cleaning the blood and gunk from the bears and rats off his sword and gear, he showered, finding yet more blood in his hair and some fur from the bears that had been stuck to him. Cleaned and refreshed, he ate a bit of food and all but fell into bed. He was asleep moments after shutting his eyes.

Good morning! Pneuma shouted, far too loud in Trint’s opinion. So, here is a little info for you to consider before you do anything else today... I will try to keep this short but it's important.

“Can I at least wake up a little?” Trint mumbled, shuffling to the bathroom.

First, you are in the kiddie pool, so to speak, his unseen companion continued without pausing. Your current location and challenges are designed for you to learn and adjust to the System and the goal of the Iterations.

Your entire body and mind are now basically restructured. You have basic stat pools and a few skills. You are starting with Mind and Body stats. With Mind, you have Mana and use magic and Mana-related skills. At the same time, your Body uses Stamina and health. Skills, basically, are how you will augment your actions or magic using the three main pools: Health, Stamina, and Mana. Are you listening?

Trint mumbled something unintelligible and reached for a toothbrush. No reason why he should have to sit and stare blankly every time Pneuma addressed him, right?

Most don’t hear about cultivation, or Spirit, and Soul till the Spirit Realms of i7-i5. That reminds me. We are in i11, a training ground for the newly integrated worlds. We have 120 days till we can leave here through the earliest Ascension and go to a more challenging Iteration called i10. Recruiters will arrive on day 31 and then 90 days later we can leave. These are the upcoming Iterations and their level requirements:

i11: Tutorial (1-year timeframe starting at arrival)

i10: Levels 1-20 (1-year life span starting at arrival)

i9: Levels 21-30 (10-year life span starting at arrival)

i8: Levels 31-100 (100-year life span starting at arrival)

Brushing vigorously, Trint studied the chart taking up the center of his vision. He might have been annoyed before, but he acknowledged that this was important. He’d put himself through whatever was necessary to reunite with his family.

Skills typically are how mortals interact with the System and gain power. Fortunately, you have me to help get around that boring way to fight. Was that a hint of smugness? Trint dismissed the window and spit into the sink.

Soon, you will have access to the Cultivation of Spirit, embracing Truth and Deeper Truths and the laws that govern the system. Tapping into higher Realms of power and gaining abilities will help you shape your Spirit and Soul into a merchant of death. They will allow you to bypass limitations and multiply your power.

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

Following still?

Splashing cold water on his face, he looked into the mirror and gave a curt nod to his reflection.

A little history, then. Your entire universe has been integrated into the System. It was added to the appropriate Iteration, and its people are being sent through the Iteration system. The worlds and Iterations are connected and grouped according to power levels from Iterations 10 through 1. You currently exist in part of an i10 universe for your i11 Tutorial, which is made up of your world and about 100 others stitched together for your introduction to the System and the Iterations.

This was something of a huge revelation to Trint. Finding himself in the living room, he sank into the nearest sofa. Hundreds of worlds? Just how big was this place, anyway?

You should know there are several powerful factions, Pneuma continued, unbothered. Your family is one of the greatest, but not the only one with power. They have enemies, and you must avoid them until you reach your family’s kingdoms. Even there, you will find many who envy you for being chosen.

“Chosen? I didn’t ask for this, you know? I fell into this,” Trint spat. “If my family wasn’t involved, I don’t know if I'd even have accepted this gift and my connection with you. I still have a nagging feeling that I’ve somehow made a mistake. How do I even know if that was real, and I'm not being manipulated? What is so special about me that you want me, anyway? And why can’t you just take me to my family now?”

Trint’s mind was spinning a bit and his fears and insecurities just came out in one stream. He couldn’t even imagine the aftermath if his emotions hadn’t been regulated by the System. Pneuma waited patiently for Trint to finish.

Trint, you already committed. Now is the time to continue in good faith. Not blind faith, but in trust that I mean you no harm and will do everything to help you get back to your family. We are one now. I will always only want what is best for you. I both want and can get you back to Cara, Kayden, and Lucy. Perhaps you should take some time to consider everything and remember what we need to do and why you are doing this.

Trint was left alone with his own thoughts in the living room. Yes, he was adjusting, but recent events still weighed heavy on his mind. He took a short time to process the news of Cara, his family, and his new reality. He resolved to be glad they were still alive, and there was a way to get to them eventually.

Before venturing out he made some notes in an empty book he found in the new ring. He had come up with many things to jot down but made a list to keep his head straight around the unorthodox changes.

“I’m sitting here taking notes, but what’s the point? Can I even forget anything now that I have Mind stats?” he mused.

Not only would he not forget, but he would be accumulating libraries of information equivalent to thousands of years of knowledge and experience from here on out. He like everyone else now had eons to live, but he alone had Pneuma.

Pneuma explained his stats were radically different than other people’s due to their bonding. As such, he was expected to maintain secrecy in that department. He also had to evenly distribute his stats for the foreseeable future to avoid skewing his long term growth. Eventually, he would have a solid base and could do more strategic allocation. From all the games Trint had played, he was looking forward to creating a build for himself.

I can’t mess this up, right? Trint thought with a sigh. I need to get outside and fight some more.

“Pneuma, are you listening?” Trint spoke to the empty room.

Yes, Trint heard the voice in his head but silence in the room. I am always with you now.

“Can you help me get some more epic skills?” he hoped.

I could, but that is not your focus right now. His tone was firm.

“You bought skills for me earlier, but I didn’t get any choice in it. I was looking in my System notifications and menus, but it’s locked. Why can’t I access this?” Trint asked, pulling up his System currency tab.

Currency Balance: $5.1 Q5 (Current Iteration Total: $5,100,500 Q11)

“So, am I rich now?” he wondered. “It looks like Q5.1 is 5 million Q11. How does this work?”

Now Pneuma seemed to open up, just a little. For every tier, there is a 10x increase in value. One Q10 is ten Q11. You have a lot more funds available that you can pull from. At this point in Q11, you have nearly infinite resources to spend. However, most of the stuff here is worthless.

I have been instructed to direct and control your purchases. Everything you need is in the ring for now. Trint, we have the funds to get you any skill available under i5. But I am only to allow skills under a certain level of power. This will ensure you learn to walk before you run, as your people say. You won’t need skills or use skills like others do,Pneuma explained. You will also be expected to earn your Q by leveling a profession. This is more of a trust fund for later.

“So... I am mega-rich. But I can’t buy anything good yet?” Trint summarized.

Correct, his companion confirmed. Think of it as an emergency fund trust account set up by your relatives. Your ring is stocked, and I will allow access to everything you need.

“I don’t get a say in this. I realize you know infinitely more, but can’t I pick something?” Trint had begun scrolling through lists of goods, weapons, and armor and was comparing the skills he had with those in the store.

Current Skills:

Movement Skill (Passive): [Increased Movement Speed], [Dodge]

Defensive Skill (Passive): [Increased Health Regeneration]

Magic Projection Skills: [Mana Bolt]

Sword Skills: [Strike], [Block]

He sighed. “These seem kind of... basic. I had hoped for more powerful skills or powers. I understand you know more than I do but I want to use every advantage. I want to be Overpowered. You know what OP means, right?”

Yes, of course I know. There are vastly more difficult to acquire skills and magic. Right now, in the lower Iterations, none of that matters. The System is just weeding out those who can’t make it at a basic level. If anyone struggles this low, they are forced to get better or Restart and try again.

For now, learn these skills. They are basic but will be good practice. After you learn these , you will see why I don’t want you to waste your time learning advanced skills. You have a lot to learn and I'm sure you agree, if you want to find Kayden and rejoin your family, time is of the essence.