“Hu (狐)? Hang on, you are that nine-tailed fox!” Julius blurted, gripping hard on the hilt.
Hu with her left arm raised and palm open. “Relax, I know you just went through hell. That was all purposeful for this first level.”
“What do you mean purposeful? I almost died in that trap of darkness, going through a brief mental turmoil!”
“But you were angry, right? Where do you think all this black smoke that has blended into your qi turned into?” Hu questioned with her eyebrows raised. “Adding on, you chose the Flames of Wrath (愤怒), so surely it fits the criteria that anger was the primary component by name.”
Julius blinked in thought, relaxing his grip. “What if I chose the opposite, Flames of Azure(蔚蓝)? Does that change a darn thing?”
Hu shook her head as gusts picked up again around the area, and a table summoned right upon the elevated flat surface. She invited Julius to the table. “I have tea. Why not join me, and we will continue the conversation?”
Julius huffed with a deep sigh, nodding. She went first and pulled both chairs before the two sat down. Julius leaned Licht to the table and watched her pour the green tea from her black teapot into the black and yellow vinyl ceramic cups. She pushed one to Julius and exchanged drinks before the two took a sip.
“How is it?” she firmly asked.
“Soothing, at least…”
“Choosing the Flame of Azure wouldn’t bring any difference because it’s not likely you would even bring the chance of choosing it,” Hu muttered.
Julius took another sip before putting the cup down. “What do you even know about my decision-making?”
“Not only did I get brief information about you through the system in your head, but you might not realize your body is dispersing a lot of hidden qi that you don’t even realize when you arrived. A glimpse of it was enough to get a sense of who you are.”
Julius looked around himself in response. Hidden qi…Just how much do I have? Could that be the darkness that was waiting to be summoned? “Was this darkness formed based on the hidden qi I generated?”
“Great thinking…yes. Naturally and logically, for other cultivators, hidden qi is just a rare phenomenon due to being hidden and true proof other than a smaller group of individuals that can sense them.” Hu lifted two fingers. “Gods and innate-talented individuals.”
“I’m experiencing a lot of being the first timer on things to where I feel like can’t there be anything at least others have done rather just being alone.”
“You have to start somewhere, right? I mean being the one who came from an entirely different world into one of ours with such vengeance and through torture only to naturally be pulled into our affairs. I understand. However, your new experience here is a stepping stone.”
Julius poured another half of green tea, taking one gulp.
“A bit of my identity…you already know more than a bit. Especially knowing I have Skoltor in my head. Just get to the bottom line, what is this place for and how do you know Skoltor?”
Hu smiled at his straight-forwarded mutter. “Very blunt…Fine. Despite how much I want to linger on conversations you are the first to arrive here in a long time. I’ll explain then.”
A pulling force suddenly appeared around Julius’s head as if someone was gripping both sides of the temple.
Slam!
His eyes focused on both elbows landed hard on the table to cause a dent, spilling all the tea and tipping off the teapot from the table. My head. Is she pulling me?
Hu still sat as if nothing had happened and slowly leaned up closer, keeping eye-to-eye contact. “Your system is a mess, distorted, and too wordy that lacks the numbers,” she muttered, hovering her right palm and pressing it onto Julius’s forehead.
“Your hands are cold,” Julius mumbled.
“Would you rather it be burning?”
“No thanks.”
“Then hold yourself shut for a moment,” Hu said before applying more pressure. Julius’s visuals began to turn static. A flickering moment before it completely disappeared. The next second, a small bar appeared at the center of his vision, describing another reboot but forced.
--
Hu: Authorizing reorganization of the system mainframe.
Maintain original points? → Yes.
…
Complete
↓
Modernize and update protocols with Merit Universe → Yes.
Updating: Skoltor’s Monetary System, Kampfrang System, Revamped Stats Menu, Expeditions, Virtual Inventory, Data.
Removing qualitative majority. Institutionalize quantitative properties!
Initiating: 0%
25%
60%
90%
100%
Operation Completed.
Reactivating Skoltor.
--
The whole process of reorganizing Skoltor took a minute. It didn’t feel as long as Julius would have expected. However, he was quietly impressed by how techy it can achieve. Hu let go of her palm, and the pulling pressure ceased causing Julius to slumber back down to his seat.
“How is it?” Hu asked, rubbing the palms of her hands before summoning another teapot set. She poured another batch of green tea.
She must be a tea enjoyer, desperate for a replacement. Julius took his new cup and half-gulped the green tea. “Other than staring at you, thanks. How do you know about the Skoltor System?”
“Traces of the Merit Universe can be found outside of this place, like Raal. It could be an everyday item, scrolls, and various other findings. Anyone who originated from the Merit Universe like me, can depict and connect with anything that is linked back to here. Your System turned out to be one of them. In fact, it’s a much stronger resemblance.”
“Do you know who created this?”
Hu shook her head followed by a shrug. “I wished I did. Nobody in the levels beyond me can figure out the origins of this place. We tried to come up with theorizing conclusions, but it came out nothing other than just accepting we just exist. And all the items like Skoltor just happen. So, I’m sorry if that’s what you are asking.”
“Hmm…what a bummer. More questions than answers…” Julius muttered before pausing. He gulped the last half of the green tea and pushed his cup away, not needing seconds. “What did you change with the system?” Julius asked, gesturing his hand over his face.
“Actually… a lot of things,” Hu replied, summoning a flying screen next to the table.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Julius leaned to the right, facing the left where the screen transitioned to a display for information with various pictures in the form of a presentation.
32.2
“I see what you mean now. Skoltor is really connected to the merit universe,” Julius commented, offering the approval verdict of the overhaul. Hu suggested that he try opening Skoltor’s interface.
He leaned his back to the chair, opening the list of the menu.
--
Skoltor’s Monetary System
Kampfrang System → Cultivation (Kultivierung. 修炼) System.
Revamped Stats Menu → Stats Menu V2
Expeditions
Virtual Inventory
Data
--
These word changes are fucking up my head. Julius clicked on the stats menu to find an entire overhaul. Hu stayed true to her words, with all the numbers as listed out.
--
Stats Menu V2
Flames of Wrath (愤怒) Level: 0 → +15% to Qi
Cultivation System Level: Rank 6 → +6% to all stats after calculations.
Stamina (LV 4)
HP (LV 4)
225
75,600
256.5 (+31.5)
79380 (+3780)
271.89 (+15.39)
84142.8 (+4762.8)
Endurance (LV 4) 186 217.62 (+31.62) 230.68 (+13.06) Durability (LV 4) 210 239.4 (+29.4) 253.76 (+14.36)
Power (LV 4)
Attack (LV 4)
1,560
4,560
2028 (+468)
4,605.6 (+45.6)
2,149.68 (+121.68)
4,881.94 (+276.34)
Qi (LV 4) 10,405 10,925.25 (+520.25) 13,219.55 (+2,294.30) Total Score 88,186 95,683.87 105,150.3
--
White, red, and blue. Got it. Julius showed a nodding gesture to Hu, prompting her to ask if there were any difficulties. In response, he denied any due to the color coding helped decipher it more efficiently.
The numbers might not matter all the time outside of Merit Universe, however; Skoltor’s purpose of being supplemental can be beneficial for dangerous situations like being trapped or in a moment of turmoil. Hu added that it will take a bit to get used to as now Skoltor is officially how it is supposed to function. There are various parts within the expedition features that need to be reached at a minimum total score. The white numbers are the base with no modifications or any added bonuses. Red is where it includes any Skoltor’s provided bonuses like team party buff and individual’s class. At the end, the blue number is if any external factors are part of the equation. For example, equipment. Which he has nothing to do with currently as he has to go through a certain level of merit to unlock that feature.
Hu proceeded with a repeat inspection to be certain it would do as it operates. She had Julius check the economic aspects of the system and the inventory and retest the user-friendly interface.
Julius gave a confident thumbs up after the inspection while standing on the ridges and viewing the far horizon of the realm. Hu stood from the table, disappearing all the tables and chairs. She joined him viewing the beautiful landscape.
“You might need this,” Hu muttered, handing Julius a bulky hardcover about the size of a textbook.
“What’s this for?” Julius asked, opening the front cover. “It’s all empty blank pages.”
Hu brought Julius back to the first page and pressed her index finger on the corner of the page. A green light flashed through the entire page, illuminating Julius and Hu’s eyes. What appeared was Julius’s imprinted name with the date.
“Come on, you don’t need to do that,” Julius said.
“Just something to remind yourself, keep this for your own personal sake. Don’t share this with anybody unless you want to. Something on your mind, write it down.”
“That will do, thank you.” Julius smiled, feeling calmer after the conversation.
Hu smiled back. “Were even now.”
Are we? “Maybe for me. But what about you?” Julius asked. She hummed for a moment, signaling she was trying to come up with something on her mind.
Hu lifted one finger. “I have one.”
Julius sent his new writing textbook into his inventory before turning directly at her. “Say it.”
She gestured her right hand out, summoning a transparent nine-tail fox. All of a sudden, a thrusting punch from her right to his chest, created a portal with her same right hand deep inside. After a concerning amount of seconds, she pulled out empty handed followed by the portal’s closure.
“What did you put inside of me?” Julius grunted.
“A fragment of myself. It’s a link for me to see the outside world as I’m interested in your journey. As well as how the world of Raal is doing. And before you ask, I can communicate through thanks to that.”
“Is this permanent?” Julius asked.
“Yes, it can’t be removed without my will. Why?”
“Just want to be certain as I’ve already been impaled enough to be concerned about it.”
--
New Mission Added (1):
Leave the Realm of The Blue River (蓝河)
--
Julius and Hu stared at a grand door ascending from the spot where Julius had first arrived. They took a moment watching until God Rays flashed behind it. Afterward, the door opens. Julius turned to Hu, exchanging farewells. The two shook hands before he descended down the elevated plains, walking right up to the door.
“I forgot to ask one thing. There are four of my friends that I know who have the system too. Would they do the same trials as I?!” he yelled from afar.
Hu nodded aggressively. “Of course! Now go!”
Julius departed the realm, sprinting through the door. Suddenly, he was welcomed with a threatening crackling, and the roaring noises all amped up in his ears. An unpleasant odor crashed to his nose and his eyes reacted shut. Giving a second, he recognized the strong smell, indicating danger. Fire. I smell the unpleasant flames and hear the angry bursts all around me. Julius exerted his qi, dispersing all the dust around him. Opening his eyes revealed another event.
Looking around, he was in the same field as before. But something was off with the destruction all around. He tilted his head up to find the roof was entirely scrapped off, revealing the night sky that was masked by the heavy clustered clouds.
--
Mission Completed (1):
Leave the Realm of The Blue River (蓝河)
New Mission Added (1):
Defend Longyue.
--
“I could never get a break at all, do I?” Julius whispered to himself in complaint.
He launched to the sky, only to find a war-like battlefield within the city. Tons of illuminating plumes of smoke on the night horizon. Julius decided to head to the tower behind the main hall, anticipating some company.