"Alright. You're going to want to shatter your soul first."

"..."

"You're serious?"

"Yep."

"How will shattering my soul help me never run out of energy?"

"It is to comprehend infinity."

"What does that mean?"

"It is a law. Comprehend it and you won't have to worry about your soul shattering."

Urgon looks at Zero like he is crazy

"Comprehending laws are the stuff of legends. Only rank 7 or higher have comprehended laws."

Zero shrugs.

"Nevermind. Hmm... Do you guys happen to sleep?"

"Doesn't everybody?"

"I suppose you could follow a certain path."

"But that is a path you must be chosen to follow. So I cannot teach you it."

"What are you even talking about?"

"You guys don't have plot armor, so its useless to try."

"Plot armor? What?"

"Don't worry about it, just talking to myself."

They came to Zero everyday and mined with him.

They had talked about all kinds of things.

They were quite impressed with his knowledge of magic.

It far surpassed theirs.

Too bad they are all restricted and unable to cast spells.

Except for Zero, but he kept that a secret.

After about a year.

The conversation steered towards how exactly he has so much energy.

How he doesn't need to sleep or eat.

"It is complicated. I suppose you can say In an accident. I was cursed..."

"Cursed?"

"How is such an ability a curse!?"

"You wouldn't be able to comprehend my fate."

"..."

"Can you replicate the accident?"

"Nope."

"What exactly did you do?"

"I fused myself with nonexistence."

"What are you on about?"

"I told you, you wouldn't be able to understand even if I explained it to you."

"Can you explain it to us?"

So Zero told them a bit of his story.

He left out the important bits like him traveling across the chaos realm.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

He mostly told them about his days as an acolyte.

It was then that Urgon asked him.

"Your story is quite similar to the origin story of Zero. You were even named after him. Were your parents fans of him?"

"I am Zero."

"I know, I'm talking about the formation grand master Zero. We know you have the same name."

Sigh

Soon...

Another decade passed.

Zero was given his I.D and became an official citizen of this dimension.

It felt pretty good to stop mining.

It felt even better to have identification.

Urgon had asked what he planned on doing now that he was free.

Obviously it was to acquire rank 2 spell models and breakthrough to a rank 2 magi.

It turned out that there weren't really academies in this dimension.

There were sects.

Zero found the nearest sect near him.

The Darkness Sect.

There were a few ways to join.

You had to have an aptitude of 10 or higher and be below the age of 16.

You also needed to have at least minor affinity with the darkness element

Or be born in the sect.

Or you needed to be a master in one of the arts.

Potioneering.

Artificing.

Formations.

Smithing.

He took the test for formations and easily passed it with a perfect score.

He only needed to draw out all 11520 runes from memory and draw out a few basic formations.

He became an outer-sect disciple.

They offered him new robes.

But he turned them down.

This made him stick out unfortunately.

----------------------------------------

Rank 2 spells are a precious resource.

So I'm unable to browse them freely.

I tried pausing time and reading through them while time was frozen.

But you need a special key to unencrypt the crystals.

It wasn't in the form of books.

I'll need to earn contribution points.

I head to the task master of the sect.

But somebody bumps into my shoulder on the way there.

I chalk it off as an accident.

But then they call out to me.

"Hey! You just pushed me!"

"What? You bumped into me."

"No. You stole my wallet."

"What?"

"Empty your pockets."

I pull out the insides of my pockets.

Once I do that to my labcoat a wallet falls out.

"You're a theif!"

"You obviously placed that wallet in my pocket."

"Now, you're calling me a liar!"

"You are one though..."

A crowd forms around us as we argue.

"Look... We can take this matter to the rule enforcers or we can settle this like men!"

"You want to fight me?"

"YES! You've been an eyesore to me lately. With your flashy clothes and refusal to wear the sects uniform."

"So, do you accept the challenge?"

"I'm good. Take it up the matter with the enforcers."

I turn to leave.

"Wait! Do you have no pride?"

"Are you even a man?"

I look at the man.

"Fine. I won't fight you. But if you are able to injure me within 3 attacks. I'll become your servant for eternity."

"But if you are not able to injure me. You will be my servant for the rest of your lifespan."

"Do you accept."

"No... I wanted to fight you..."

"Are you scared of losing?"

"Fine! On my name as Gurner I swear to become your servant if I'm unable to injure you within three attacks."

Gurner wastes no time.

He infuses elemental particles in his fingers and pokes at my eyes.

I don't even blink.

I'm stabbed in the eyes, but nothing happens.

"That's one."

He then kicks me hard right in the balls.

I give no reaction.

"That's two."

At this point... he is starting to get nervous.

He pulls out his sword and slashes my neck.

Again, nothing.

"That's three. Congratulations on becoming my servant!"

"This can't be happening..."

"I'm an inner disciple... how can I be the servant to an outer disciple."

"You wish to go back on your word?"

"It was rigged! You cheated! I wasn't even able to push you back. There's no way you are just a rank 1."

"Nah, I'm only rank 1. You're just too weak to break through my defense."

My first order for my servant was to transfer all their contribution points to me.

I went from having zero to having thousands.

I turned in the contribution points for a rank 2 spell model. .

I'm only able to get one spell

[ECHO]: {Name: "Shadow Travel", Level: 2, Type: Target, Element: Darkness, Cost: 400, Desc: "Target Can travel through the shadows."}

I decide to look for a mission that will give me the most contribution points.

I find one that rewards 10,000.

It involves investigating a town ran by a rank 2 magi.

Apparently, forbidden experiments on the soul are being done on the residents.

As I bring up the slip to the counter to accept the mission.

I'm told I'm too weak.

Only a rank 2 would be able to accept the mission.

After a bit of arguing the person gives up and allows me to accept it.

I bring my servant with me everywhere I go.

I inscribe a formation in my room so I can quickly return.

Gurner follows me everywhere I go.

He was quite surprised when I set up a formation in my room.

"What is that for?"

"It's for a quick return."

We rent a carriage.

I look at all the bags Gurner is carrying and smile a bit.

I have everything I need in my storage dimension.

Feels pretty good.

He is a little confused that I seemingly don't carry anything on me.

Surely I would at least need currency.

I pull gold coins out of my storage dimension and surprise him.

"You're able to cast spells as a level 1?!"

"Nah... I'm only activating a formation."

Truthfully I am able to cast spells thanks to the brand Gaia gave me.

"Can you give me a formation too?"

"No."

"..."