One Hour Later
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4160/7000 Calories
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What a fascinating meal. Julius had cherished the entire plate until there was nothing left. It was worth it as he felt an upsurge in energy massaging up to his brain. The Skolritters were caught up with a summarized premise of the situation as some stuff he converses with Empress Cai and Daiyu are self-claimed confidential and legitimate secrets. Empress Cai, Julius, and Daiyu switched back and forth to answer the questions they might have. While Lin sat silently, savoring her noodle soup, and asked one question during the entire lunch.
Before leaving the cafeteria with Daiyu, Empress Cai, and Lin, he suggested the Skolritters to learn the Moon Language (月亮语).
31.2
Fifteen minutes later.
“Welcome, General, we’ve been waiting for you.”
“Ah, you must be my new Operator. Chun, right?”
Chun nodded and sprinted from the stage over to the bench area where Julius arrived with Empress Cai and Daiyu.
He was an extremely broad individual, definitely almost the same height as Julius. Wide shoulders with tanned skin. His entire forehead was tied by a black headband with three maroon diagonal stripes. A lengthy beard but a clean trim. He looks tough but very communicative. Julius concluded, greeting Chun with a fist bump.
“Is this where I’ll hang out with all of you for who knows how long?” Julius asked.
“Yes, sir. We have approved a quick plan to supply for us while we assist with your training,” Chun said, directing the three onto the field. “When I heard the news about your qi power, many couldn’t believe it.”
Right when entering the field, there was a pulsar device. Chun would describe it to him as a combination of a pulsar and a vacuum used to measure a person’s current qi capacity. It’s like a registry to put it simply as everyone who went through training had to do it. The vacuum is on the left, and the pulsar is on the right. Having the ambidexterity was a blessing as he was instructed not to move his legs or jump as this is more of a ranged qi measuring device. Chun added it was best to be stationary when performing. Julius isn’t sure if that was true, but went along with it.
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Generating New Missions…
New Mission Added (1):
Leave the Qi Pulsar measuring machine unscathed after an attack.
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Very funny, thinking I’m going to destroy the machine. Julius summoned Licht to his left grip. Lifting its hilt upwards, he went for a downward slash right at the dead center of the vacuum. The qi purged its path, striking right at the metal material of the device, and he could hear the machine rattling the longer the qi came into contact with the vacuum machinery.
“The pulsar is shaking. This was not supposed to happen!” Chun exclaimed, witnessing a first. Empress Cai tried to motion for Julius to calm his gushing qi because his qi hadn’t stopped after finishing a slashing move.
Oh crap! Julius nudged his blade up from the floor, dissipating it. And to his little naïve confidence, the machine shattered followed by a tiny explosion with enough strength to thrust others away. Julius stood in front to take in all the force as his back braced against the three, putting all on hold.
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Mission Failed
Leave the Qi Pulsar measuring machine unscathed after an attack.
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Only to find this was not the strongest blast this building has endured but enough to give Chun an idea of how Julius will proceed.
“It takes a rank five to cause damage to the device as it was limited to three. The open space in front of the pulsar where it releases the qi would gauge the contents within it,” Chun commented and turned to Empress Cai. “You sent to us that he was a rank two with no prior experience. But now the machine is destroyed. Would that technically put him at the minimum of rank six?”
Julius nudged away to regain some space.
Empress Cai wasn’t sure. He saw her appear to be perplexed. “I don’t understand Daiyu, and I when we gauged him through our usual optical observation that all of us learned. He was at rank two. We can agree with that, right? Before you directed him to the machine, did you get a look yourself?”
Chun rubbed his chin. “When you put it that way, yes. I agree.” He went to the now damaged machine. Julius silently watched him kneeling on the floor and touching the machine's scattered debris.
“General. How much information can you retain in terms of the amount of time?”
“If I’m into it then pretty quick.”
“Then the basics will be the slightest. Afterward, you are immediately put into experiencing all the specialties,” Chun said. He stood and paced away from the site.
Empress Cai detested the idea, grabbing his shoulder. “Hang on, you aren’t putting an entire pace onto my disciple! Do it again, and I’ll have you ousted. One attempt in the past caused a casualty.”
Chun lifted his finger and removed her grip. “That was damn ten years ago! It was only an experimental stage when that happened. Adding on, the individual agreed despite knowing what risk and how capable he was.”
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“I will not allow it. He’s the last we have to end this global war!”
What a bummer. Julius sighed. Suddenly, he felt a strong pressure reach his body from the direction that led further into the field. What was strange was beyond the entrance into the building and the site of the machine, the rest was covered in a heavy fog. He could see the bleachers, but the field remained a mystery. Logically, anyone who sat on the seats would see nothing except a misty region.
Giving some thought, having a stadium setup was a strange coincidence. Xavier had trained Julius and Mother Elaine on an abandoned track. However, it did help with speed adaptability.
“Come here!” A motherly voice echoed into his ears. Julius turned back, and the three were not deterred by it. The two continued to argue with Daiyu in between to stop them from going further.
< I don’t have a good feeling about this. Don’t be fooled! > Licht expressed. He exerted qi on Julius’s legs and arms to slow him down.
<< Thanks for the help. This voice is attracting me to it. >> Julius grunted.
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New Mission Added.
Enter the Realm of Blue River (蓝河)
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<< You got to let me go, Licht! >>
< No, that voice- >
<< Licht! Skoltor just made a new mission. I have to go! >>
The silent response only agonized Julius’s internals. He exerted his qi removed all locks and sprinted to the misty clouds.
“Julius!”
Hearing Empress Cai’s sincere yell was too late when Julius blasted through, ceasing all prior noises from the field. The foggy scene dissipated like an opening door, revealing a massive ecosystem.
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Realm of Blue River Discovered
New Data Entry Added
Team Party disabled
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From his eyes, the area is way too vivid almost as if it was a game with amplified graphics modifications applied to the software. It did stay to its name as there was a river stream right ahead. Grass and flowers bloomed in the entire region. When he began walking in the direction of the stream, a heavy chest dropped in front of him out of nowhere.
Wielding Licht, he slowly reached into the bulky chest. A pop-up virtual screen appeared from behind the chest, flying up high before swiftly expanding as big as a living room flat-screen TV. A t-chart flashed, and various characters appeared simultaneously on each side. Skoltor also updated its missions and opened up a new feature as depicted in a few seconds.
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Mission Completed (1):
Enter the Realm of The Blue River (蓝河)
New Mission Added (2):
Choose one of the two perks from the chest
Survive
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What do you mean survive?! Julius thought upon finishing reading the last line of the mission’s menu. Before he could have the chance to give more process, the virtual screen with the t-chart had finished typing.
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To start off, the Realm of The Blue River is the first level of the Merit Universe. Every end or beginning of the level will come with a buffing or rewards to suffice for the subsequent level.
Every reward obtained is permanent and can be used outside of the Merit Universe once successfully completed the required levels.
Flames of Wrath (愤怒) → Level 0 Flames of Azure (蔚蓝) → Level 0
Merger of Flames of Wrath into the individual’s soul.
Heavily focused on power, qi, and durability.
Rewards and abilities vary throughout every experience.
Merger of Flames of Azure into the individual’s soul.
Heavily focused on power, qi, and stamina.
Rewards and abilities vary throughout every experience.
--
Wrath or Azure? Julius didn’t hesitate and immediately opened the chest. Inside were two orb-like balls with illuminating colors, and the one to the left was bloody red with shadows of moving fires. While the right was ice blue with water filled halfway. He could only choose one and observed for a moment before tossing the ice-blue orb back into the chest. It abruptly closes in response and the visual screen changes with an agreement.
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Are you sure about choosing the Flames of Wrath?
Yes ← No
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Upon clicking yes, an abrupt and violent urge overwhelmed his body. He sped right up to the chest with his left palm holding the bloody red orb. His body went into the pose as if preparing to attack it. The buffed left arm thrust towards the chest, shattering the orb. Subsequently, the flames invaded and engulfed his fingers. Julius regained his body back, mentally claiming that was a strange occurrence before something from the sky-blue river emerged beneath. The colorful flowers then withered away. Quickly the beautiful sky was overwhelmed by the dark, thundering sky.
A part of the smoky cloud reformed into the level opener with the number one and a three-second timer, indicating the match was about to begin.
When he looked back to the exact spot of the river, a humongous creature that was soaked like a damp towel dead stared at Julius. Due to its black fur and yellow eyes, it appeared to be a black panther. Until it turned partially where the nine tails emerged from behind. A nine tailed fox. May they help us all. Julius reacted with extreme concern, hearing stories of how nine tailed foxes’ capabilities and manipulative tactics could perform. Now things are starting to escalate as the timer turned zero.
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Mission Completed (2):
Enter the Realm of The Blue River (蓝河)
Choose one of the two perks from the chest
Ongoing Mission (1):
Survive → Defeat the Black Nine Tail Fox. (黑九尾狐）
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A thundering lightning bolt struck the ground, and the two initiated a fury standoff.