10K words.
Thank you for reading, and sorry for the delay!
This is the last of the first 4 chapters I wanted to post. I'll still try to post four more quickly.
Enjoy!
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—
An unknown amount of time passed. The sun rose, the shadows moved, birds sang, and insects chirped. Amidst those, Philip rose from the mangled ground, covered in sweat.
Faint blue embers burned around him, but as quickly as they came, they vanished.
With every movement, something lingering within his skin stirred, but whatever it was, it did not manifest into reality… yet its presence was felt strongly by him.
/Gasp.../
Smoke escaped through his lips, "Gaaaa..."
Philip looked around, his vision clearer, senses sharper than before. Even the air he once breathed seemed "brighter", yet simultaneously spicier, almost as if he could tell twenty more unique odours in this already fragrant forest.
An overwhelming explosion of stimulation, but with each gasp he took, he grew duller, appeasing his senses. But that wasn't all great, for with those, Philip also felt a strange weakness, a sense of… void within himself.
He took a deep breath and held it in… but something was wrong.
His lungs were full, yet he starved for air. Like all had turned into water… as if he had been thrown into the depths of the ocean.
He clung to his throat as his pupils trembled, closing and opening, sharpening into strange shapes otherwise not biologically possible for a Human.
[Castle Town ***** soothes your mind]
Yet, even as he suffocated, Philip realized it was all inconsequential. He recognized, to his dismay, that he didn't quite need to breathe.
Or rather, not as often as before. The energy to move his body came not from what it once did, but from somewhere else he couldn't quite put into words.
Breathing had become… more of a chore or habit than anything else.
Something about him seemed to have changed, not just physically, but psychologically as well. Perhaps even in a higher meaning beyond words.
/Freeze!/
He lifted his left hand, gesturing at the empty air, and an ice pillar rose in front of him, becoming a smooth mirror.
"Huff…"
Watching his appearance, which was still the same as before, made him smile in relief as he sat down on the ground. His first fear, becoming a monster, had thus been crossed out.
That said, not all was the same as he remembered. His hair had grown again, so long it spread around him like a tapestry. And his facial features had changed slightly, mostly as his jaw grew a little to accommodate larger, sharper teeth.
'My jawline is… crispy. These teeth are crazy… unusually polished too… I think I can see my reflection in them.'
He tilted his head, 'My molars were pushed back and my wisdom tooth is gone. No wonder my gums are sore.'
/Crack.../
As he experimented with his mouth, pushing his lips apart to check the inside of his jaw, the ice crumbled down into beautiful sparks before him.
A pocket watch tied above through a black tentacle. Laplabe approached him from above, his body hanging from a nearby tree branch, "Are you okay?"
Philip breathed in and out, calming down… "Yeah, I am okay, mostly sore."
/Shine!/
"Ugh…"
A beam of light fell on him as MT scanned him. And he sighed, gazing at the fake sky through the leaves obscuring the clouds.
[This is… beyond words]
Philip brushed the long strands of hair aside, "Let's leave the diagnosis for later."
'I need something to eat.'
[DING]
[DING]
[…]
Now, a new person, or one that never really changed, he made his way back to the Manor, all the while ignoring the notifications raining down on him.
Starving like never before, and too tired to go over the notifications, he stepped inside the manor.
…
"…"
A lone girl finished her breakfast with a silent expression.
'He didn't come… again.'
Viera sighed. Perhaps she expected too much from the guy who hadn't sat still for even a minute ever since they moved.
/Step…/
"I'm sorry, I got caught up in something."
But then, the silence was shattered by Philip's noisy arrival.
She was happy he had appeared, even if late, but couldn't show it. After all…
"Look who decided to show up…" She said with a smug, disapproving glare as she turned around, "… What happened?!"
As she turned around to face him, her words stuck down her throat as she noticed the changes.
"Why is your hair long again? And also… where are your clothes?!"
Philip smiled awkwardly as some maids walked behind him, "I was caught up in something and uh… things ended up like this."
She looked him up and down. His long dark hair carried with it traces of a bluish tint, and his skin seemed to have grown smoother, if that was anything to go by.
The biggest change wasn't anything physical, however… it was what she felt as she looked at him.
/Tremble…/
Despite knowing what he was and that he'd never lay a hand on her, Viera felt a strange hesitation with every step he took in her direction.
Like the creatures she had seen underground, Philip gave her a similar sensation…
Was it fear?… Perhaps… she felt fear as she looked at him, especially when his blue eyes met hers.
She felt as if there was something lurking within the depths of his pupils, gazing together with him…
But something seemed to call her forward, an alien feeling. The allure of the unknown… beckoned her to step closer… and submit.
To the being before her.
/Thud…/
She unconsciously stepped back, only to bump into the table as Philip walked past her without noticing her reaction at all, "Man, I'm starving." He said as her chest rose and fell… and as he scratched his stomach.
While he sat down, Viera looked back at the maids following him, noticing that they too, to some degree, likely felt the same way she did.
Albeit given the distance in their status and abilities, whatever each of them felt likely differed from what she experienced at that exact moment… which was quite clear as some of them seemed utterly entranced with his appearance.
And that was exactly what awakened her from her stupor.
Philip clapped his hands, eager to begin his meal, "Can I eat all of this, or…"
Viera's expression replied in a stale, almost emotionless tone, "It's all yours…"
"Phew, thank God… I couldn't wait a second more!" He said as he licked his lips
He immediately pulled a few plates toward him with telekinesis. While he took a bagel, another bread was cut upon above him while juice was poured into a crystal glass beside him.
"Can you girls bring me some more? I'm sorry for being late, but I'm starving here…"
Being addressed for the first time, the maids woke up from their trance as well.
They all ran back down the hallway, even though some of them were meant to stay beside him and assist him as he ate…
/Chomp!/
He did not mind at all, digging into his food without a care in the world.
"…"
Seeing all of it unfold, she couldn't help but think about it again… 'I want my anger and worry back…' she thought as she understood that Philip's thought process was on its own, separate dimension.
Perhaps finally understanding how her master felt about her, Viera sat down to face this familiar, yet strangely unrecognizable being.
…
"… also… you got a letter."
"A letter? From who?"
A few minutes into their late breakfast, Viera raised another topic in a somewhat raspy tone.
Viera looked away, "I don't know, I didn't open." She said as she raised the letter.
Philip chewed on his food, raising an eyebrow at her statement, "…"
'She's lying, and bitter… But the letter is sealed…'
He had a few ideas about what had happened, but opted not to mention any of it right now.
/Fwoop…/
The letter flew over the table into his hands, which he promptly unsealed with little difficulty.
The magical barriers within the letter crumbling at his touch, he went through it all in the blink of an eye before laughing drily, "Hum… ahhh, I see now."
"It's from the people I met yesterday. I didn't expect them to reach out so soon."
Viera threw a glance at him, but looked away soon after.
He laughed. Did she think he wouldn't notice her gestures just because he wasn't looking?
Even if he condensed his mental domain, it was active at all times, giving him full "sight" of anything within the reaches of his mental power.
So he addressed the misunderstanding, "It's not what you think."
"Yesterday, after I finished my mission, I approached them out of curiosity. And not because of anything you're thinking, so keep your imagination to yourself."
He put the letter aside as Viera's expression turned crimson, "They're agents of the Elven empire, and given the nature of my mission, keeping a close eye on them is within my tasks."
Philip smirked, "And aren't you a tad too young to think about those things, anyway?"
/Thud!/
She had enough of his teasing, slamming the table as she pushed her seat aside, running off into the distance as some of her maids followed her in a hurry.
"Haha…"
[Stop teasing the kid. Just because you can read her mind, it doesn't mean you should!]
Philip tapped his chest with a smile, "But I'm not." He said as he took another bite out of his meal.
"… Shesh justh too eash to reabh…"
[…]
He looked around, resting his left arm on a nearby chair as he found himself alone.
'… Might as well get this over with, too.'
[DING]
[Evolution has completed, and your inheritance has been established]
[The first of your kind, it's up to you to determine its existence]
He gulped down, "… I already have a name in mind."
'There is a word that stuck in my head after I picked this option. A word that represents what I want to become, and perhaps… those after me as well.'
His voice shook the surroundings, "Sahrot. To be great."
[DING]
[From humble beginnings, aiming for the highest skies… A tale to be left in the annals of history]
[The world welcomes its newest inhabitant — The first of the Sahrot now walks the Earth]
[An Achievement to be remembered!]
[The Title, Ancestor of the Sahrot is granted to the pioneer of blood]
[To you who climbed to the top, the Title, Blue Blood manifests]
[Skill, Air of Nobility Lv0 has manifested]
[DING]
[Pinnacle Skill Fusion has detected two abilities suitable for fusion]
[Predator's Presence + Air of Nobility]
[Skill Fusion will automatically activate and be added to the rewards]
[Chances of critical fusion have been considerably increased]
[Critical Fusion!]
[Fusion complete!]
[Partial conditions have been met]
[You have gained the Skill, The Forgotten — Erased Lv???]
[Pinnacle Skill Fusion Lv15 -> Lv16]
[To you who seeks to unravel the origin of creation, seeking to usurp the birth of your kind and guide them towards a new beginning, wherever it may lead]
[The Title, Antesunderian Archeologist has changed into, Witness of the Ancient Myths]
[Physical Attributes shall be recalculated…]
[Your authority expands…]
[***** eagerly awaits the blooming of your potential]
[Processing…]
{The newborn may voice a desire aloud, and it shall be performed}
/Tap…/
Philip tapped the table, his attention fully locked on the ominous, dark status window he had already grown partially accustomed to.
'Whenever I see it, I cannot help but get the desire to turn away and run.'
But he shook his head, opening his own Status instead:
[
Name: Philip Vinten *Three Fragments*
Race: Type-2 Sahrot (+)
Home World: Earth (+) // Registered World: Eden (+)
Class: None (+) // Level 0
— Title —
Apex Evolver
> All Titles:
Exterminator of Nightmares; Witness of the Ancient Myths; Master of all trades(Incomplete); Great Scholar; Martial Grandmaster; Magic Lord; Mental Lord; Blessed; Apex Evolver; Contender; Specter; Hitman; Artificial Chrysalidate; Outer-World Subjugator; One of a Kind; Chet Adam; *****'s Folly; Unbound Creator; Class Paragon; Celestial Host; The First Challenger; Center of Attention; Judicator's Attention; Ancestor of the Sahrot; Blue Blood;
— Vital info —
Mind> 405 (500.1)(+)
Physical> 388.7 (432)(+)
Energy> 393.3 (473.3)(+)
Spiritual> 401.2 (497)(+)
Mystique> 400(+)
— Abilities —
Armament Lv9
Mental Force LvMax
Mental Force Manipulation Lv23
Mental Domain Lv15
Arcane Manipulation Lv17
Draly-Apyer Secret Sword Arts LvMax
Seven-Colored Wooden Boat Lv1
Falling Fist of the Beast LvMax
Arcane Override Lv0
Spiritual Force L0
Spiritual Force Manipulation L0
Weak Spiritual Domain Lv0
— Skills —
Greater Thuum Lv0
Limitless Lv0
Ignition Strike LvMax(10) // Active
Invisible Blade LvMax(15)
Flow Lv7
Origin of a Desire Lv0
Pinnacle Skill Fusion Lv16
Western Continent Language Lv9
Phantom Sword LvMax(25) // Active
Great Scholar Vision LvMax(10) // Active
Combat Genius LvMax
Stalk Lv0
Conjure Daedra Merchant LvMax // Active
The Incomplete Realm (???)
Simulation Room (???)
Gamerverse (???)
The Guiding Hand (???)
The Forgotten — Erased Lv???
Eyes of Premonition Lv???
— Traits —
Castle Town ***** (Recovering); Hardworking; Unyielding; Incorruptible; Sword Heart; Spiritual Ascension (Incomplete); Dragon Soul; Ancestral Genesis
]
The changes were considerable, but not as significant as he thought they'd be.
'The limits that previously bound me have been released. I can now resume my growth in tandem with my training. Albeit… something has changed.'
The Status window has grown a little more sophisticated. It wasn't anything he would bat an eye at, given he could easily recall every single line of every ability in his possession, but the timing was odd.
He scoffed internally, 'Does the System's bias extend not only to summoned Heroes but to what it considers nobility as well? To the point it would apply some makeup skin onto itself to appear more pleasing to the eyes?'
'Or perhaps, the numerous minor changes within me have grown substantial enough for the System, as it shows itself to me, to change into something more fitting for my current psyche.'
Philip closed his eyes… change wasn't necessarily a bad thing. What was truly dreadful was to become something unchangeable and immutable. To a perfect, yet eternally unmoving, was the very antithesis of what he wished to be.
He inspected the last notification, "But a desire… is it giving me a pass to ask for… anything?" He wondered as he opened his eyes once more.
'A pass for anything. So no more ambiguities and questioning… but what could I even ask for?'
Power? Most definitely not. Philip was in no need for such… which led straight to the next possibility.
Time? A most enticing option… But what could he ask for which could provide him with such?
Should he ask the entity behind the creepy notification to grant him time-related skills? No matter how he read into it, that definitely did not sound like a good idea.
But time wasn't necessarily something he needed to tap into. Abilities that defined the norm, such as Simulation Room and The Guiding Hand, could assist him with growth beyond what would otherwise be possible.
Apex Evolver, Combat Genius, and several others were all abilities that had been carefully ingrained in him to hasten his development… so perhaps another would suffice?
/Tap… tap…/
Pondering and more pondering… yet again, the mimic and the sentient machine found themselves orbiting the mortal man who could not spend a single second without a thought of his own.
"… Perhaps something simpler will suffice."
He raised his head, and his lips parted open, "I desire the strengthening of my innate Skill. Please evolve Gamerverse!"
{…}
[The Skill, Gamerverse refuses *****]
{… Relevant Skill could not be processed}
"What?"
Philip was left stunned, unable to believe what he had just seen.
He gritted his teeth, 'Every time I try to enhance it, something happens. From failure to outright refusal? What a troublesome and picky Skill!'
Massaging his temples, Philip struggled to find a solution to his current scenario.
'I should treat this as something on the same level as a Race change. It's an ultimate reward that will probably not come again easily.'
'For something like this to be granted, I'd have to perform another achievement matching that of creating a brand new species.'
'Evolving Skills is one option… perhaps I could ask for all of my Skills to evolve? For my Stats to rise to their greatest limits… for my race to evolve again!'
But with each option, he couldn't help but feel hollow.
As his eyes darted around the room, seeking inspiration, they finally fell on the white halo floating silently above his head… and an idea took shape within his mind.
'Development… enhancement… yes. There is one thing I've been working towards all this time.'
"… Would it be possible to push Skill Fusion to its greatest iteration all at once?"
{… Denied}
He exhaled drily, not entirely surprised.
But the status window was not finished:
{One unrestrained utilization of the Hephaestus Sub-routine is permitted}
"Hephaestus? I remember it…"
'When I first came to Eden, it was the Hephaestus subroutine that created the guide that introduced me to the System, and it was the Prometheus subroutine that "marked" us.'
'I believe it was also in charge of providing me with a Class…'
Philip scratched his chin, "One unrestrained use of Skill Fusion that goes beyond its name and power…"
Many ideas crossed his mind. Multiple Skills could be fused… Abilities, Traits, even Titles.
If it's the ultimate form of fusion, then even if they weren't ready to be bound, the sheer power behind it would likely be enough to make up for it.
Nonetheless, he was cautious, and eventually, another idea rose in his mind.
'… Why limit myself to things within the System, anyway?'
He tapped his chest, feeling his heartbeat, 'I already know it's possible to have physical items incorporate into the System, which was what became of the mechanical heart.'
'So why not attempt something like it once more? To push an otherwise physical object into the System's domain?'
But so, what should he pick, and what should it be fused into?
/Tick… tack…/
The clock spun somewhere he couldn't see. The maids who awaited outside stepped inside the living room, and with his permission, took the dirty dishes aside as he stood in place.
The minutes rolled by, but Philip couldn't quite think of an answer.
'Perhaps this isn't it…'
[You seem to be struggling with something. I could provide you with some assistance, if it's within my means]
He sighed, "For all I'd like that to be the case, this isn't something anyone can help me with. Just explaining the idea behind it would take a long time, and even then, you wouldn't truly get it."
"If only I could show it all to you instead, but right now… hm… maybe…"
His tone suddenly changed, "Actually… I think there is a way… a way to have you understand me."
Philip reached out for the halo above him, putting it before him.
"… Would you be willing to try something out with me?"
[Of course]
"It could be dangerous… very dangerous. I'm talking about…"
[It doesn't matter. Nothing fills me with a greater sense of accomplishment than serving you. It was what I was made for, the calling of my creation]
"… You make me feel like an abusive asshole…" He replied with a sigh and a light smile
[That's not what I meant]
"I know…"
"… Well, it's not like you asked for its opinion before." Laplabe added all of a sudden, much to Philip's frustration
"That and now are two utterly unique conditions!"
Laplabe scoffed, "Believe what you will."
[Don't worry, master. I'm ready for whatever you decide of me]
His head slumped back as he rubbed his palms over his face, "… Haaa… I'm already regretting this…"
He took a deep breath and reached out for the dark window. There was only one Skill fitting to become one with a machine of MT's caliber.
A machine that had once been part of the greatest supercomputer that oversaw a world. Enhanced and evolved into something beyond logic.
"… Fuse MT with Simulation Room!"
{…}
{Your request has been accepted}
/Bzzz!/
Before their very eyes, space itself caved inward, the light around the room dropping onto an infinitesimal space like a funnel.
"!"
Philip felt dread like never before, a strange emotion so intense he lost reason for a slight moment.
/Fwoop!/
And that slight moment of disjunct was all it needed to suck MT straight inside, leaving the onlookers utterly shocked.
"W-What was that?!" Laplabe asked as he lost control of his form for a split second, the pocket watch resting on the table cracking open like an oister
Philip clenched his chest, it was a feeling very much like the one experienced moments prior.
Yet, the intense emotion struck deeper than anything he had felt before, so much so that his Trait didn't even seem to register what he felt as a change in his psyche.
"I… I don't know."
'And I don't think I want to figure it out anytime soon.'
[Conditions have been met]
[Abilities have been fused. The Skill, Half-Dimension has been created]
[DING]
[Skill Fusion detects two Skills suitable for fusion]
[Under exceptionally unique conditions, the Skills, Half-Dimension + The Incomplete Realm…]
[Skill Fusion will automatically activate under the influence of the Hephaestus Sub-routine]
[…]
[Fusion cannot proceed — Conditions have not been met]
[DING]
[The Skill, Gamerverse is forcibly activating to its highest degree]
[The Skill, Gamerverse is interfering in the process…]
[The Skill, Gamerverse proposes an idea: To postpone the right in the face of extraordinary possibility]
[Gamerverse shall take hold of the fusion process. It asks if you are willing to challenge the unknown in the face of ***** and the right to *****]
[Confirm/Deny]
A strange string of notifications appeared before him. Shaped not like the usual ones, but like a conversation… albeit one-sided.
A choice was provided; a large rectangle stood floating before him, shining in its ephemeral blue hue…
Philip stared at it all, baffled, yet… amused. But above all, eager, "So many strange notifications…"
'It seems what I thought of before was indeed true. Something fundamental has changed with the System, but now's not the time to consider such.'
'Gamerverse has once again intervened in the System. Truly, just what are the limits of its abilities?'
The question loomed before him, but Philip merely laughed at it.
Was there even a need to consider? He had already made his choice long ago.
[Confirm]
[Fusion process shall resume]
[Critical Fusion!]
[…]
[…]
[…]
Several blank windows fell before him one after the other… 'System? Hello?' He thought as he tapped the air.
He held the status pages and shook them around, but nothing happened. They flickered faintly wherever he touched, their surface rippling quietly without response.
But as the minutes drew…
[… Fusion complete]
[That which was incomplete and broken takes form. That which drifted between the imaginary and the tangible has finally been shaped anew, manifested within the reality that otherwise rejected it]
[Its rightful ruler ascends to the throne. The Skill, Liminal Planetarium takes hold within *****]
"… So its finished."
He inspected the Skill's description, but without surprise, it was empty, 'Simulation Room and The Incomplete Realm were both undescribed Skills, so I wasn't expecting much from that department.'
'Guess there's only one thing left…'
[Activating Skill, Liminal Planetarium (???)]
/Crunk…/
Philip felt a powerful pull at the depths of his mind. A torrent of mental power was drawn outward, only to vanish into thin air.
He reached for his forehead, mildly flinching at the sudden flush of energy. But as he calmed his mind, the world around him had already begun to change.
The ceiling, ground, tables, everything twisted inward, spiralling towards a central axis as Philip stood seated, shocked by the sight.
/Tighten…/
"What have you done?" Laplabe asked as his form changed, becoming a bracelet tightly bound to his wrist… so much so it became uncomfortable to wear
"… I'm about to figure it out."
"This isn't the time to… joke…"
As his words echoed around them, the living room they once stood in had already faded into nothingness, leaving only the wooden chair on which he sat behind.
/Shaa…/
From the darkness, a pale hand reached outward. Fingers crooked, long, with sharp fingernails…
'That is… the courier?'
But it didn't look as he remembered. The pale hand slowly unraveled into an arm larger than Philip was tall, showing that it wasn't the same being he once interacted with.
As intimidating as it was, the arm merely reached to the "ground", pulling at it as a door materialized before them.
An old, vintage wooden door. Extremely well-made and decorated with imagery that felt both familiar, yet alien, for he could not recognize what the carvings represented.
The pale hand reached for the knob and opened it…
/Fwoop!/
"!"
A ball of light flashed from inside, flying in his direction before stopping slightly above him.
"… You're here!" The ball of light said, flickering faintly as it bobbed up and down, left and right, like a buoy in the sea
Philip frowned, "This voice… MT?"
"That would indeed be me… or who I was before."
"So you're not… her?"
The ball of light flickered in multiple colors before returning to its warm, quiet white, "It seems I have confused you."
"I remain who I once was. I see the past merely in the same way as you would see your childhood self."
The light gently lowered, resting in the palm of his hand, "I have grown… is what I'm trying to say."
Philip tightly closed his eyes, "… I have many questions."
"That I know… I've seen it all, experienced it alongside you. I now fully understand your hurdles, worries, and traumas. And I'll answer them all the best way I can."
Philip looked around. This strange space was comfortable to him… if he could call the empty darkness familiar. It was the same as when he used Simulation Room, but with some mild divergences.
"… Where are we?"
"That's a strange question. We never left… but that wouldn't answer your query…"
The ball flickered. Philip could feel the heat whenever it changed colors… and strangely enough, he thought he could understand its emotions through temperature alone.
Compared to before, the emotions MT possessed had grown far clearer, but at the same time, even more incomprehensible.
"Would you understand it best if we said we're in a parallel space? It's not the exact denomination, but it fits our condition quite well… because I too am not exactly familiar with the terminology as to what we should call… "Here"."
She continued, "You'll understand it all in due time. Just like me."
"Very well… I have a lot of questions, but more than anything, I'd like a bath."
"Understood."
/Blink!/
Before Philip even had the time to process the meaning of her words… a tall, golden mirror appeared before him.
"I picked something I believe was proper, but we can change at any moment."
"… What?"
Philip got up from his seat, taking a glance at the mirror. He now wore a dark-purple vintage suit, coupled with dark shoes and gloves.
It was something straight out of his inventory… the first one he hadn't opened in a while.
His long hair had been done, now hanging just a palm's length from the ground.
"I… the clothes are fine. I'm talking about changing myself in reality… I spent the entire night essentially groveling in the garden…"
MT… chuckled, "I understand. It's best we take things one step at a time… This form might also be improper."
The sphere of light changed shapes, becoming a disc before finally turning into a halo.
Having taken its previous form, MT flew to his head, "Now there shouldn't be an issue."
/Crunk…/
The echoes of wood and stone distorting reached his ears once more as color returned to the void, "Let us return, master. This discussion is better concluded somewhere more familiar."
Soon enough, Philip found himself back in his chair. But what was most surprising to him wasn't anything he had just experience, but the fact his clothes had remained the same.
"This… how is this possible? How did you bring something from a virtual world…"
[Your understanding of things hasn't quite caught up yet. Master, that is reality, just as much as this one is… You'll understand in time, I hope]
[The properties of all Skills have been combined into one. Within that world, there is little we cannot do]
Philip took a few seconds to process everything, "… Anything?"
[Anything that could already be done, indeed… But there are restrictions preventing us from pushing things too far. So how about we go somewhere else for a light jog?]
"Hm?"
Amidst his confusion, MT chuckled yet again.
/Shaaa…/
White mist spread around the living room. A curtain of fog flowed down from a slit in the air above him.
A dozen arms reached out from the waterfall, pulling him inside. He did not resist, not feeling any ill intent from anything around him.
And so, Philip was dragged beyond, vanishing from where he once stood.
…
/Shine…/
A door of fog formed in the mountains, a young man stepped through with firm steps, white snow crumbling beneath his shoes.
Philip gazed at the world around him, squinting his eyes in the strong sunlight as the frigid wind ran through his body, blowing snow down the precipice beyond.
His hair stood still behind him, his eyes shining with wonder as his lips parted open, "The… Never-Ending Mountain Range?"
Having been transported back to where his adventure began, Philip stood at the peak of a mountain, a long stretch of forest down at its feet.
'This is the edge of the royal gardens. Behind me is the path I took to reach the academy.'
He looked at his hands, 'I remember this ability. The power to travel through the dreamrealm or something like it. I was warned not to toy with it until I understood it more, but things somehow became like this.'
"This isn't exactly a good place for an outing, is it?"
[There is no one around. Even the closest one is several kilometers away patrolling the outer walls]
He laughed drily, "Likely the blue knights doing their thing. Let's not infringe any further."
"I get the idea, we don't need to get it all sorted in one day."
[Of course. Shall we return, then?]
He smiled, "Yes, before someone starts attacking me."
[Then, before we go, we should conclude the pending notifications]
"Pardon?"
[DING]
[The ruler claims its first domain. The world hails *****'s enthroning]
[The Title, Blue Blood grows into Royal Blood. May your conquest continue]
[*****]
[Conditions have not been met]
"This again?"
[It's because you're growing too fast. With time, that which should have been awarded will naturally unveil to you] MT added as Philip brushed the notification aside
"I hope so. But you seem quite confident of that."
[My perspective on things has changed greatly. It's not great, but I have a minor understanding of the "System's" operations]
Philip smacked his lips together, "Seems like we do have a lot to talk about…"
/Shuaa…/
The door of mist appeared once again, and Philip stepped through, vanishing beyond the mountains to continue his venture.
…
And so, time rolled…
In the remainder of the day, Philip opted to remain in the Manor and recover, understanding the changes within him in the meantime.
For the first time in a while, he realized he didn't have anything pressing him into anything. His missions already accomplished, he could not finally relax and reorganize his journey until the promised time.
MTs fusion with Simulation Room and The Incomplete Realm had given birth to a Skill that granted him control over a world of his making.
A direct evolution of Simulation Room that turned something that had previously been merely virtual, existing within his mind, into something real that could be directly translated into reality.
If he wished to train, experiment, craft, or anything of the sort, it could be done inside. But there were still limits to what he could and could not do.
While he could still create copies of those scanned by the Skill, he could not bring them into reality.
Small things were allowed, but it was evident that a large bar had been erected around what was acceptable to be created and transferred… even so, that was merely one of its many properties.
While the dreamrealm, or anything connected to it, was still an unknown subject to him, MTs abilities were still present, and with time, he'd reach a sufficient understanding to tap into those.
But perhaps the greatest haul, his original intention with this fusion, was the direct creation of a Skill with an ego. Having been turned into an entity associated with the System, MT had now been given direct access to many of its functions, albeit in a manner it couldn't properly convey in words.
Not solely because of its inability to do so, but also because of the own limitations pressed into it from principles neither had an answer for.
With those issues out of the way, he turned his attention to some of his pending matters. One of which, if not the biggest worry, was the principal's requests.
His attention fell on the device he had given her the night before, waiting to see her reaction to what it held within… But to his dismay, it took the entire day for her to notice it, and eventually be pulled inside.
With MT protecting her, it was now a game of patience. To wait for her return from the space within.
So he turned his attention away from her, going over his daily activities, such as reading through the documents that had piled up on his desk, and the changes that had been brought about by his evolution.
And… of course… explaining things to the forgotten mimic that had been subjected to surprise after surprise…
Time passed quickly, far faster than normal…
/DONG!/
The office's grandfather clock rang, its pointers high... It was the start of a new day.
Philip yawned, "I should take a nap... an actual one this time."
'Tomorrow I'll...'
...
In the blink of an eye, the sun rose and fell a few more times…
It had been a week since he arrived, or half a month by this world's standards.
Quite a lot happened during this time. Starting from within the Manor, the construction workers finally finished everything they had been commissioned to do, repairing and enhancing the training room, while also plugging the hole in his room.
With his newest Skill, he wasn't in a hurry for a training space of his own anymore, but having a workshop where he could sit down and think was nice either way.
"ZZZzzz..."
As for Viera herself, she had yet to awaken from her sleep, which worried him faintly.
He coordinated with the maids and Sebastiano to provide her with a place to sleep so she could receive proper care. And with MTs assistance, more pressing matters were left in her stead… for the lady's dignity.
Thankfully, though, magic alone could postpone any "accidents" for a while.
Amidst the many small issues that had recently sprung up ever since Philip's arrival, perhaps the greatest of them all would be the food expenses of the manor.
With the Lord eating the equivalent of their entire monthly budget for food every three days, Sebastiano found himself commuting several times to shops and the like to keep their storages filled.
At the same time, Philip also requested him to procure a grand array of materials within the city, some of which made even the seasoned butler frown.
Sebastiano didn't hesitate, of course. But he wondered, was his Lord also proficient in crafting arts? Or maybe even… what was the point of acquiring venomous glands?
Was it for alchemy? He was curious, but did not pry. As long as Philip followed the laws and did not go over the board, he was fine with serving the young man.
That was about it for what happened in the Manor, but it was by far the end of everything that occurred this week…
…
Starting off from his "acquaintances". On the following day and not long after they first met, the Dwarf and his son came to him on their own, surprising him…
By their looks, Philip immediately knew what they wanted, so he welcomed them with open arms… and his true identity.
They previously saw him as a mysterious person clad in black; now they saw him as a young man. It was obviously very hard for them to accept or understand, but he managed to get things going.
What they wanted was pretty simple, to thank him for what he did. He had saved them and even their future family. There was no way they could truly put into words the extent of what he did…
So they came here to… figure out a way to repay him, and perhaps even to ask for help.
Philip saw their desperation and worry merely by the large black box the father was carrying around, he didn't recognize it at first, but he felt it was dangerous in some capacity just by the way the Dwarf held it as if he was ready to pull it up at any moment.
MT warned him of its true function, much to his disappointment.
But it wasn't as if he didn't understand. A desperate man in desperate times would resort to equally desperate means to achieve his goals and protect his loved ones.
Nonetheless, it was nothing they would need in the future. After a lengthy conversation over the day, Philip convinced them to become the sponsor for his laboratory, while also dealing with the expenditures from the breach of contract with the Pykes, which was easier than he expected.
Even after ignoring their requests, they did nothing to him. From the beginning, he and his work were irrelevant to the family. Most likely a way for a particular member of the family to accomplish some nefarious goal.
Philip felt things weren't quite done yet, that there was still something lurking in the dark… So his investigations never ceased. The strange Elf Laplabe had seen… what was his connection to all of it?
Until then, he scheduled a meeting with the Elven ladies, curious and keen on figuring out their true identities. All of it, from their arrival to his, it couldn't be a coincidence.
And amidst all of it, perhaps the greatest news of them all…
[Apex Evolver has awakened from its slumber]
…
The last day of his first week…
Philip and Laplabe stood in their office, with the former standing by the window, eyes heavy.
Laplabe was the first to speak, "Are they finally gone?"
"Yes, they are." Philip replied as he took a quick look out his window, gazing at several men and women of multiple species as they entered a black carriage and flew off into the horizon
"Seems everything will be okay now." Laplabe added, relieved
But Philip shook his head, "I wouldn't say that for sure."
He stepped away from the window, arms behind his back.
"For now, we were lucky, but the more time passes and the more desperate they become, they may resort to more… direct means of investigation."
Today, those seeking him were within what he could handle, but next time, would he be so lucky?
It has been a week since the academy entered a lockdown, which was long enough for it to open partially and resume operations… not entirely out of their own volition.
The academy needed to continue its operations, regardless of the current state of the investigation.
But for the academy, which had yet to find a clue of the true perpetrator behind the raid, it was a massive loss of prestige, or in cooler words... FACE!
After a long period of no results and luck, the investigation spread outward, and as one of the first to step out of the academy mere moments before the alarms rang, he was at the top of the list of suspects.
Today, the strongest investigator was no more proficient than Viera. But next time, would they send an Archmage, or perhaps an even greater mage after him?
What stopped the ones in power most interested in recovering the academy's legacy from employing 8th or even higher circle magicians to force their way through the suspects?
Perhaps within the Human Kingdom, there isn't much they could do, but at the border, he didn't feel safe at all.
Laplabe recognized Philip's worries, "You're right. Had it been one of the Archmages... perhaps even a high-ranking council member, they might've noticed something out of line."
"Some of them even know who I am… it's definitely not something I'd like to see happening."
Philip remained silent, the academy was only one of his many worries. Be it everything he did in the past, from beating up Rafiel to the noble children he humiliated or even his own identity as a Hero, he had a lot on his plate.
"Haaa… at best, we can just run away." He said with a sigh as he tapped his forehead, "Let's go, its time for lunch."
And he was very hungry.
…
As the sky grew warmer, the blue replaced with orange…
"Urg…"
/GROWL!/
"Hungry…"
Viera… slowly woke up from her long, long sleep. The first thing she noticed was her surroundings; she didn't remember being here before she entered "that" place…
She massaged her neck, "Ahh… my throat is so dry…"
Her belly was empty, her shoulders were stiff, her back hurt…
'How long have I been sleeping?'
She looked at the window; it was "still" sunny.
'It looks like its been a few hours…'
She slowly pushed herself up, "Am I that physically weak ? Perhaps I do need some training, as he said."
'Regardless… this damn thing. How did he get his hands on it?' She thought as her eyes rested on the device lying beside her bed
Her expression twisted, 'And how dare he trick me by putting it next to me! It was a trap all along!... Ouch!...'
/THUD!/
She hit her pinky on the bed's corner... but there was no pain.
"Haaaa..."
'My feet are numb. This is going to hurt later, I'm sure of it...'
Feeling betrayed, Viera turned her anger to the sole being that could take it: Philip.
So after checking herself and taking care of her foot, she left her room with a deep gaze…
…
/Step step step!/
Viera ran across the forest with a fierce expression, moving towards the secluded workshops.
The maids weren't willing to just let her go, but the madam didn't seem willing to listen…
/Stops…/
She finally arrived, and the first thing she did was…
/KNOCK KNOCK!/
She slamed her fist on the door, but it was too solid, and in the end, she only hurt her hands…
"Arg!… Dammit!"
'I curse you!'
Pain only increased her resentment. Though she wouldn't have a lot of time to complain…
"You're here." A voice echoed from within
Feeling slightly embarrassed and defeated, she twisted the knob and entered the room, she should've tried that first.
/Hot!…/
The first thing she felt was the powerful heat emanating from further down the room…
/CLANG CLANG!/
Followed by the rhythmic echoes of metal clashing.
"What?..."
Quickly casting magic to protect her body from the heat, she approached the source of it all: a man hammering a small lump of brilliant red-hot iron… and shirtless, of course.
At least he wasn't pantless... Though she wondered for a split second why the long pants and not something more proper.
Philip did not turn his back to her, "It seems you're awake. Welcome back into the land of the living."
"If you don't mind waiting, I'm in the middle of a small activity as you can see…" He added as he hammered down, without removing his sight from the lump of iron
/CLANG CLANG!/
"I… um… okay."
Many things passed through her mind, she wanted to ask questions, but suddenly her mind went blank as instead, she saw herself observing what he was doing.
She touched a chair, but it was hot, making her flinch.
'I feel as if I'm inside a sauna…'
She turned her eyes to Philip, his outline barely visible before the raging fire.
A small collection of multiple forges stood around him, each different from the other, each with its own purpose, spewing fire towards the air like the mouths of dragons!
'How can he stand there when the fire is spewing outward like that? Also, what are those pants even made of?'
/CLANG!/
Finally, her thoughts ceased with a mighty swing as sparks flew across the room.
"So, uh… what are you doing?" She asked with a frown, the light too strong for her to look straight
/CLANG!/
Philip stopped for a moment, raising his head to look at her with a small smile.
"Iron daggers."
"???"
'Iron daggers?'
He smiled faintly before he turned around, "Your expression tells me you're confused, but that's to be expected. It's not exactly what one would expect from me."
/CLANG!/
"But why are you making iron daggers out of all things? It's not like we lack them…"
/CLANG!/
"I need them for experimentation."
"Why not buy some instead? Doesn't this take quite a bit of your time?"
/CLANG!/
"To some degree, it does, but it also serves a purpose. But above all, I'd rather have things tested from something I made myself then something I can buy out there."
/Clang!/
Philip hammered, part of his focus was on the metal, the other was inside his head...
'It's nothing impressive, really. At least for these handicraft Skills, the more valuable the thing I make is, the more experience I'll get.'
'I can't neglect the Skill Trees from my Class. To them, practice and utilization lead to development, and no matter how little it is, one day I'll reach the realms of legend.'
/CLANG!/
"Well… I didn't know you could forge." She replied, not even that surprised anymore
Philip stopped hammering for a moment, "I know a little, though I'm better at tinkering with more mechanical objects rather than something this… simple?"
/CLANG CLANG!/
It was only now Viera had realized that the previous lump of iron had turned into a perfect blade. It scared her, she barely saw it transform...
The only explanation for that was that his swings were so fast, they sounded like a single cohesive one...
/TSSS!/
Philip took the shaped iron and put it on a quench, letting it cool down for a few seconds as he counted the time in his head.
Everything had to be on time, there was a lot of timing and understanding, it's not completely methodical.
Metalwork may sound macho and strong, but it's equally fragile and sensitive.
As he waited for that, he asked, "How are you feeling? Did you eat anything?"
"I… Yes, I was starving…"
She took a deep breath and asked what she had been keeping on her tongue…
"What was that all about?... The thing you gave me, and the old dude inside of it?"
Inside the strange object, she met an old man. The old man introduced himself and his field of research, but not much else.
He said that if she passed his trials, she could become his disciple. But despite already having a master, the man was stubborn, saying that as long as she failed, then it wouldn't matter at all.
So with that mentality, not knowing how to leave, she was left with the only choice available: persevere through whatever he wanted her to go through.
Philip smiled, "Can't you recognize your own principal?"
"..."
She bit her own lip in silence. Of course she could, Viera wasn't so ignorant of the things happening around her as not to know that.
Back in the Academy, she would every once in a while see his face and name on murals and paintings.
But that was what she feared hearing the most because it meant that…
Her face grew pale, "T-T-T-The thief…"
/Shaaa…/
Philip took his dagger out of the quenching tube, "Ah yes, that… I was indeed the one who entered the Principal's office and grabbed all the stuff."
/CRACK!/
That was the sound of Viera's mind shattering.
"Calm down, I didn't steal anything… I was given all of it."
'Although stealing it was indeed my original intent. Now that I think about it, Dae's plan wasn't exactly fool proof at all.'
"???"
She was even more confused now.
He put the dagger aside, "Sit down, I'll explain everything to you while I finish this. And then, I want to hear from you how things went inside there, deal?"
"Meanwhile, here, have this juice I was holding for myself. It's still cold, so enjoy it." He said as he moved a large bottle with telekinesis after taking it from his inventory
"I... alright."
She didn't know what to do anymore.
…
For the next few minutes, Philip went through how he got inside the office, and his deal with the principal's fragment.
After he was done with his story, he moved back and started to polish his dagger. Listening to what she had to say in response.
...
"... And… that was how I failed his trial."
Her story was one of survival, discovery, wonder, fear, longing, and disappointment.
But Philip only felt the latter, "Hm… I see, it's a shame, but it just means you were not meant to be." He said as he shook his head.
'It would be convenient if she passed, but it isn't terrible that she didn't.'
"Wait! It's not like I completely failed…"
'Look at his face... I know exactly what he's thinking!'
She coughed lightly, "Well... the reason I was not qualified for the last trial was that… I have my own master, so I was still struggling to accept him…"
'The last trial was merely that, a test of character. One that I failed.'
'It didn't test my morals, it tested weather or not I could accept him as my Master.'
"… He told me before sending me out of that thing… that I was qualified, but if I could learn to accept him, then he would take me in as his disciple."
Philip's expression brightened, "Really? Now that's a surprise… But how do you plan on doing that?"
"Well… asking my master, if she accepts it, then I'll learn from him as well."
"… But let me guess, you can't contact her?"
"On point."
"... Sigh."
He smiled faintly, "Regardless, it went better than I thought."
"Oh, yeah?... Next time, don't leave such a thing behind and tell me, okay?"
"But I did?"
/Thud!/
She stomped on the ground with a slight look of annoyance.
"You didn't tell me its true purpose!"
He coughed, "It was supposed to be an opportunity…" He dismissed her as he blew some air on his dagger.
"Even then!"
/Chatter.../
/Chatter.../
…
She argued with Philip for minutes on end, but it was clear she wasn't being serious; she just wanted to vent some steam, that was all… And he let her be.
Staying inside a trapped cage took its toll on her, Philip understood how she felt to some extent, he spent many months outside in his own "dreams".
After a few minutes, she calmed down and was now ready to take on everything that had happened so far…
"So I… slept for a few days? It felt like less than a day had passed inside."
"But when I think about it, its impossible. I simply did too much for it to just be one day." She said, scratching her head in deep thought
"Can you enter it anytime?"
"I can, but I was told not to abuse it."
"Abuse?"
"Well, the old ma… Principal Erat helped me greatly with many questions I had, things MT couldn't properly explain to me."
"Honestly, I truly want to speak with him more, but as he said, I couldn't see him as a master, and until I can, it would be best to not press him on it."
"… After all, he is waiting for his true disciple to appear, and even if the machine can last longer, I'm unsure how much longer his… shade can."
"If I took up his time, then, when that person truly appears… I would feel terrible."
Philip crossed his arms, "... I see."
"I don't think having more than one master is a bad thing, but then again, its not like this is the relationship between a teacher and a student, its much more than that."
"Think about it and do what you feel is right. At the end of the day, it's my job to find a successor, you don't have to feel obliged to it."
Philip nodded before patting her shoulders, but she wasn't a fan of that...
"Your hands… are sweaty. Kindly put them aside."
"..."
'You broke my moment…'
…
After the slightly awkward moment, Philip moved to the side before opening his Class' inventory.
He had long emptied it of items, leaving behind only a series of heavy, inexpensive materials.
"What are you doing?" Viera asked, interested in his next course of actions
She approached him, wondering what he was going to do.
"Watch."
/THUD!/
From thin air, an enchanting table fell like a block of iron… Well, this one was indeed made of pure iron, a high-quality enchanting table.
"Hum..."
Philip felt that, with his enchanting knowledge, he could make his own specialized table, but it would take some time for that.
Neither did he have time to research enchantments that much.
"?!"
The sight of the ominous table with the strange candles, runes, and skull made Viera take a step back in surprise… Then ten steps forward in curiosity.
She felt something she had never felt before. Just what was that strange thing?!
Runes she had never seen before... in an order that made her frown. They had a meaning, there was a system to them, but one she could not understand.
She could tell they seemed to be connected… but nothing clicked inside her mind.
She raised her head and looked at Philip like a dog asking for a biscuit, and to her bubbly look, he replied, "This is an Enchanting Table."
She didnt seem convinced, or perhaps, she was still too lost in what she saw before to properly understand his words.
"Give me a moment, I'll enchant this dagger I just made."
"Wait, the dagger? Isnt that an absurd waste of resources?" She suddenly said as she snapped her head to the dagger
From what she knew, Enchanting was a complex subject, one she wasn't completely versed with, but knew enough herself if necessary.
Permanently… Eeven temporarily imbuing items with magical properties wasn't something simple.
Even if the knowledge was easy to understand as a whole, as some families even had their young children enchant...
Taking the cost of the materials, the effectiveness of the techniques passed down from master to disciple, father to son, everything was simply too much for the ordinary artisan to gather.
She never knew Philip knew such crafts, inheriting it from somewhere... He never showed himself as a Magician or versed in such fields...
To her doubts, as if sensing it, he replied in a proud statement, "This isn't normal Enchanting… It's my own kind…" He said as he played with the knife.
With that, he took out his materials... a small blue crystal… and that was all of it.
He put the crystal in a special location and the dagger above the appropriate runic symbol before his hands shone with energy… together with the table.
"?!"
'What is happening? I can feel some pressure... but what is this?!'
The strange energies she couldn't feel or comprehend…
/Crack!/
With a loud pop, the crystal turned to dust while the dagger glowed. Depending on the angle, you could see a myriad of runes in it, like a glistening gem.
'Mystical.'
"!!!"
And obviously, for the small mage, this was a phenomenal thing to see.
Not for Philip, though… "Worse than I thought…" He said, disgusted.
'The enchantment is far weaker than I expected. It looks like the System isn't utterly copying its principles, or I've done something wrong.'
'Perhaps there's some incompatibility in the materials, or some other unseen variable from being in another world.'
Slaying a beast, entrapping its Soul, and using it to fuel an enchantment was one of the simplest methods he knew of, and perhaps the easiest one for him to repeat.
Enchant over and over and raise his Skill higher and higher until his ability grew to the realm of myths.
"Hm?"
While he wasn't looking, he noticed Viera was intently glaring at his knife, fearful of touching it, but still trying to contact it, like a cat seeing a strange toy.
"… Is something wrong?" He asked with a smug smile, knowing full well why she was so surprised
"I… uh… how?"
"How what?"
"How did you make this so… simple?!"
"As I said, this is my own method." He said smugly before sighing
'My apologies to all Enchanters throughout the three Eras, the Mythical Era, and the Astral Spirits that made the planes of reality...'
She gasped, "Wait… you're telling me… You made this? All of this?"
He smiled, "I even got an award for it, pretty neat, don't you think?"
"This process is rooted in its own magic system, one that is similar, but utterly different from the one you're used to."
He closed one eye as he looked away, "While I can't say for certain, given I'm not too proficient in it, your system is rooted in the understanding and precise manipulation of complex formulas."
"And while this one does have its complex principles, I'd say its far more rooted in "volume" than anything else. A System that is rooted in the capacity and influx of power to channel magic."
'The more magic you have, the greater you become, to the point even a weak mage can exert continental feats of prowess.'
'I naturally have a lot of magic within me, but not nearly enough to power such spells.'
Looking at her with a smile that contained a thousand words within, Philip awaited her reaction.
…
.
.
.
Notes
We're moving closer to major timeskips, which I plan to intervene every so often to add in major events occurring throughout its expanse.
I've been wanting to get here for a long time, and I'm satisfied with how things went out.
I'm still planning one new arc to add in-between before we arrive at the latest chapters, and I wanted it to utilize these new abilities we've been slowly growing over the course of 60+ chapters.
That said, I'm done here, thank you for reading, bye!