A servant?
“Hell no,” Alan said. “If I make it on my own, I make it, if I die, I die. I won’t be a servant.”
The spirit laughed again and Alan was glad that was its reaction. He had spoken without much thinking.
“Let’s toast to that!” A cup appeared before Alan, but it was empty. The spirit almost seemed embarrassed for a second. Alan blinked. Their expression didn’t really change at all, as there was no expression to see. For all he knew it was an empty robe sitting in front of him. The spirit’s emotions seeped into the atmosphere itself, affecting him on a level much different than he had ever experienced. “I apologize. I do not think I have anything that won’t kill you.”
“That’s okay. It’s the thought that counts.” Alan replied.
“A thought is the most important thing in the universe, true. Ah, you entertain me. Answering a few questions is hardly a fair trade. I will give you something you want instead of a drink, lest I embarrass myself.”
Alan opened his mouth to object when a few new system messages popped up in his head.
[Severe Weakness] has been forcibly advanced!
Error! Unknown advancement path!
Outside influence detected!
Error! Expelling outside inf-
For a moment an indescribable feeling of being abandoned washed over him. He felt discarded, his skin felt heavy, his flesh foreign.
It lasted for an instant and Alan was whole again. In fact, he felt better than he had ever felt.
Congratulations! The Trait: [Severe Weakness] has become [One Mind, One Body].
One Mind, One Body (Epic)
To pursue the perfection of one’s will and mind will also improve the flesh and blood. You have achieved a balance between your inner self and your physical self that few throughout history have come close to.
You cannot assign attribute points to your Strength and Dexterity.
Your Strength and Dexterity have a base cap of 25.
30% of your base Will attribute is applied to your Strength.
30% of your base Mind attribute is applied to your Dexterity.
You can replenish your stamina by consuming mana
Wow.
Alan was speechless as he tried to assimilate the information. The trait was insane and it solved one of his biggest issues. He forgot all about the discomfort a looked at the Spirit. Was it smiling? Why did it feel like it was smiling?
“I must apologize once again. I did not take into account the protections still present upon the inhabitants of this newly created world. The discomfort you felt was simply a result of me tampering with the system and it will lead to no consequences for you.”
“I don’t know what to say. Thank you!” He felt like the being in front of him must be some sort of a God, but the peace he felt didn’t diminish in the slightest. It was weird, as if his mind couldn’t really comprehend what was standing before him, and instead opted to replace the awe and absolute terror he should feel with what he would feel if he were having a chat with a close friend.
“You are welcome. While my gift might seem strong, please consider that I am simply giving you a better chance. I am far from the only entity that has taken an interest in this world, although most are not worth mentioning. Few of the original species survive an integration, especially one such as this.
This is an interesting world, truly! The system has outdone itself this time.”
The being laughed again and Alan laughed along with them. Suddenly, he had a thought. His manners were really rusty from all the time of treating people like the plague.
“I forgot to ask… what is your name? Or what may I call you?”
The laughter ceased. Gentle spring became winter. New life withered and died. Then all was good again, and Alan took a deep breath. What was the issue with names? He thought about apologizing but decided against it. Asking someone’s name was only natural.
“Hm. I lost my composure for a second. It is a question I have not been asked in far too long, but it has also been far too long since I chatted with a human. Very well. Some call me Thorn. You can do so as well.”
Thorn? That was a pretty unremarkable name for an all-powerful spirit, but Alan once again wisely shut his mouth and nodded.
“Well, uh, Thorn, thank you once again for what you have done for me.”
“Oh, don’t mention it. It was a trade for a good company. Are you sure you don’t want to be my servant? We will have a lot of fun. It is not an offer I make lightly.”
“I am sure,” Alan said. He wouldn’t be a servant. He had done enough of that working and living in a society run by consumerism and profit.
“Then, do you want me to kill that demon behind you? Free of charge.”
Alan blanked and turned towards where the cube was left on the platform. He had forgotten all about Xil. The demon had been oddly silent.
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“It cannot speak in my presence.”
“Oh, don’t harm it, please. It’s a bit of an asshole, but it’s not that bad.”
“Very well. You keep surprising me.”
The spirit’s chair disappeared, and so did the one Alan was sitting in and instead he found himself with his feet steady on the ground. Thorn looked up, which did nothing to expose even a hint of a face beneath the hood, and seemed to sigh.
“Time is almost up. Meeting me will have consequences, good or bad, it is the path you have fallen unto. Also, earlier you asked me how to become powerful. And I answered with a question. Now, I will ask another question. Why do you want to be powerful?”
Alan was about to reply but the words didn’t come out. What did he really want indeed? He wanted to be powerful because it was possible here. Why wouldn’t he want that? However, there seemed to be other paths such as Salla’s, who was cooking and growing just by doing that.
When had constant slaughter and threat of death become so inevitable in his view of this new life? He seemed to accept it as the only option. Was it the games? The pre-existing notions from his life on Earth that had followed him here? Or was it something deep inside of him, that had no place in civilized society but was rearing its ugly head now? Maybe it was the System. It fucked with their minds, maybe it was responsible for that too.
Alan took his time. He thought of his past life and what he had hated there. The constant pain, the constant hurrying, working to live and living to work, until he grew old and died. He didn’t know if lifespans would be the same, considering the existence of the System. Though, with his [Limited Vitality] his was certainly going to be pretty short unless he started sacrificing his hard-earned points soon.
The spirit had shown him it was possible to change that, though. It seemed almost deliberate on their part that the changed trait was not the one that was most pressing and dangerous. Not that he was complaining.
He remembered the starry sky outside and how beautiful it was. This world wasn’t just a scary forest. And he wanted to see it all.
Yes, he knew what he wanted now.
“I want to be free,” he said.
“Free?” a bee landed on the spirit’s gloved finger and they produced a flower from somewhere, gently put the bee on it, and unceremoniously threw it into the portal.
Alan was stunned for a second, then smiled, “I want to be able to depend on myself, to push myself, to see my limits. I want to travel the world, and all the worlds there are. I wonder how many beautiful places you have seen, and what wonders lie unexplored or forgotten. How has magic shaped the universe? My world was small and everything was a plane ride away, yet I was too sick and too poor to afford to see most places worth seeing. Not that I would have appreciated them back then.”
Thorn brushed off something of their robe, and petals rained in the hall. “A worthy goal. But never forget, where there is beauty, there is darkness. And you will have to see and embrace a lot of darkness before finding the beauty. That is how the powerful become powerful. Never lose sight of your goal, and remember the person you want to be.”
Alan nodded. Thorn turned and walked toward the golden arc, and the mist swirling inside of it. They stopped just on the threshold.
“One last thing. What is your name?”
“Alan, Alan Morgan.”
“Well, Alan Morgan. If the fates deem it fit, we will meet again, and I hope next time you will be able to take a sip of my wine. It is awfully lonely to drink alone. Farewell.”
Thorn stepped into the mist and just like that everything disappeared, leaving the hall as it was, if a bit messier.
Alan stood still for a few seconds. Everything felt like a dream, but he knew it was real. His new trait was there, and so were a few new System messages. There was no end to change today.
Title: Reckless Thinker has become Madcap
Madcap
In a short period of time, you have experimented on your own mind, jumped recklessly in danger’s way, participated in forbidden ancient rituals, and almost guaranteed your death to the best of your ability multiple times. Yet, despite being your worst enemy, be it due to blind luck or cunning, you still live.
+5 Mind
+10% Mind.
You have met so many times with death that you have developed a sense of when you are in mortal peril. You have been granted the skill [Mortal Peril]
You have been granted the Title: Friend of the Spirit World (Hidden)
Friend of the Spirit World
You have met a powerful being from the Spirit World and lived to cherish the memory. For better or for worse that experience has left its mark on you.
Spirits can sense the mark and will treat you accordingly.
???
Wow. The gift that keeps on giving. He didn’t know how to feel about [Madcap] but it gave him a whole new skill and a percentage bonus, so it was a good thing.
Mortal Peril
You can sense when your life is in grave danger, even if the threat is hidden.
A good skill and if it worked on things such as poisons or faulty stairs it would pay off greatly. Alan hoped he wouldn’t give anyone a reason to poison him, but he knew himself and it was probably a matter of time. That is if he ever went back to any sort of civilized society.
Poison was a tool of civilized society. Other societies just stabbed you in the face.
[Friend of the Spirit World] was also a curious title, and it was hidden to boot. That meant titles could be seen by others in some way. He didn’t like that at all as it felt like a major invasion of privacy.
And what did it mean that spirits would treat him accordingly? It sounded strangely ominous… wasn’t being a friend to the Spirit World a good thing?
There was also a locked effect. He probably didn’t meet the requirements or something or the System was saving the reveal for a particularly unsuitable moment.
He took a few deep breaths and decided that whatever will be will be.
What was left was to choose his class. His heart fluttered with anticipation. His gains were already dwarfing his wildest expectations, and there were more waiting to be picked.
First, though, he decided to check on Ig-Thun. The man had moved a few moments ago and was now busy staring into space.
Alan walked to him, not missing to appreciate how the new physical stats from [One Mind, One Body] made him feel better than ever. He couldn’t remember a time his body was operating so smoothly and with so little pain. [Efficient Basic Movement] was also much easier to apply, and it took him almost no effort to do so.
“Hey, Ig. Are you alright?” he asked.
Ig-Thun took his time to turn and look at him, but when he did there was a sad smile on the man’s face and Alan could swear the two sets of eyes were moist.
“Yes. I know who I am now. Thank you, pinkskin Alan. Yes, thank you.”
“No problem. I gained a ton as well. I will be choosing a class after I check on the demon and something tells me it might take a while. Do you need anything? A potion?”
“I am good. Very good. And yes, choosing a class takes time. Find a quiet corner, I will make sure you are safe.”
Alan nodded and went to where the cube was on the ground, oddly silent. He half expected the demon to start cursing the moment the spirit left, but there had been not even a peep.
Alan searched for the connection in his mind and finding nothing, squatted next to the cube.
“Hey, Xil. You alive?”
There were a few moments of silence before the demon answered sounding much more subdued, “Yeah, I’m alive.”
Huh. “That’s all? Not even a fuck you?”
“The only reason I still exist is because of you. If that spirit had let even a bit more of its aura reach me, I would have dissipated into nothing, and not even a memory would remain. Despite what I may sound like and the fact that I am a demon, I know when to show gratitude. You have earned that much, Alan Morgan. Thank you.”
Wow. Somehow this was more surprising than everything else that had happened.
“Hm, uh, you are welcome I guess?” he said after a moment, giving a tentative smile to the cube, unsure if the demon could even see it. “I leveled up and I will be choosing a Class now, any tips?”
“Do not rush. It is not a simple process and a Class can change who you are to your core. Do not let it define you.” Xil answered.
That was more cryptic than Alan had hoped for, but it sounded like decent advice nonetheless. The demon really was feeling grateful.
“Alright, thanks Xil. Talk to you in a bit.”
“Remember, Alan. Good and evil are what you make of them.”
Right.
It was finally time for the long-awaited moment. Alan sat down in his corner and took a deep breath.
Now let’s see what we are working with.