Money.
It made the world go round, something that didn't change no matter what world you were in. Orochi was sitting in the underground vault, looking over the ledgers for expenses and income. The room was dimly lit, with piles of scrolls stacked upon each other on shelves. Althea had been managing everything herself. House Moon-Born hadn't sent any other help other than bare minimum finances and Althea to look after the seventh Moon-Born.
"Is this even a family?" muttered Orochi, flicking over the pages, wincing at the sight of ever-increasing expenses and dwindling income.
All in all, it was not looking good.
π³πππ!
[πΎπππππππ πΌππππππ]
π°ππππππ’ππ π²πππππ πππππππππ!
Huh? Orochi was caught off guard at the sudden pop-up in front of him. The candle flickered as he hesitated.
π³πππ!
[πΎπππππππ πΌππππππ]
πππ πΎπππππππ πππππ ππ πππππ πππππππ. π°π πππππππ’ππ πππ ππ ππππππ ππππ πππππ πππ ππππ.
π³πππππ πππππππππ, πππ πΎπππππππ πππππ π πππ πππππππππ ππππ πππ πππππππππππππ’ πππππππ’ππ πππ πππ ππππ.
The Oblivion Snake was that massive monster Orochi had seen in his mind's eye. So it seemed it wasn't awake yet. Who knew whether that was good or bad news at this point. Orochi reached out and clicked on the holographic button.
A sudden list of archetypes flashed in front of him. A memory jolted in Orochi's head. The Way of the Oblivion Snake had written about something like this.
Back in the library, Orochi pulled out the book he had stashed under the floorboard, flipping to the page. The pop-up followed him around, waiting for his response.
The First Moon-Born writes:
"One is weak and aimless because being aimless makes you weak. A path must be made through the Void. To aim, you must connect to your true archetype, a direction for clarity.There are only seven archetypes.Upon walking one, you will find powers suited to your craft.Which one will you choose?"
Orochi straightened and looked back up at the floating options.Did this mean that if he picked an archetype, he would gain a skill?
[π°ππππππ’ππ ππππ πΈππππππππβ¦]
β¦ πΎπππππππ πππππ πππππππ ππππππππ’.
β¦ πππππππππβ¦
π²πππππ π’πππ πΏπππ.
π²πππππ π’πππ π½πππππ.
π²πππππ π’πππ π΅πππ.
[π°ππππππ’ππ π· β πππ π·πππππ]
πΎππ π ππ ππππππππ ππππ, ππππ’, πππ ππππ.
π° ππππππ ππ π πππππ ππππ πππ ππππππ.
[π°ππππππ’ππ πΈ β πππ π±ππππππ]
πΎππ π ππ ππππππ πππ π ππππ π πππ πππππ πππ ππππππππ.
π° πππππ π ππ πππππ πππππππ ππππ πππππππππ.
[π°ππππππ’ππ πΉ β πππ π°πππππ]
πΎππ π ππ ππππ ππππππ’ π ππππ ππππππ πππ πππππππππ.
π° πππππππ ππ πππππππ, πππππππ, πππππ.
[π°ππππππ’ππ πΊ β πππ πΊπππ]
πΎππ π ππ πππππ π πππ ππππππππ πππ πππππππ.
π° πππππ π ππππ πππ ππ πππππ ππππππ ππππππππ.
[π°ππππππ’ππ π» β πππ πΊπππππ]
πΎππ π ππ πππππ ππ’ ππππ, πππππ, πππ ππππππππππ.
π° ππππππ πππππππ πππππβ¦ ππ πππ ππππ ππ ππππ.
[π°ππππππ’ππ πΌ β πππ π ππππ]
πΎππ π ππ πππππ πππππ, πππππππ ππππ πππππ, πππ πππππππ.
π° ππππ, πππππππππ π πππ π πππππ πππππ πππππππ.
[π°ππππππ’ππ π½ β πππ πΆππππππππ]
πΎππ π ππ πππππ ππ πππππ, ππ‘ππππππ, πππ πππππππ.
π° ππππππ ππ π πππππβ¦ ππ π πππππππ ππ ππππππππππ.
β¦
π²πππππ, π·πππ.
πππ πππππππ π ππππ.
Currently, his situation made the Goldsmith seem the most reasonable. Money was everything, and surely an archetype like that would give him financial benefits.
Stroking his naked chin out of habit, he brooded.
His past self believed nothing mattered, that nothing lasted. Orochi wanted the opposite.If he could build something lasting, meaning would be found along the way.
Hesitation melted away. He breathed slowly and nodded to himself.
Without another second wasted, Orochi pressed a glowing option.
π³πππ!
[πΎπππππππ πΌππππππ]
πππ πΊπππ πππ ππππ ππππππ! π°πππππ πππ ππππππ πππ πππππ πππ !
π΄ππππππ π²πππ πΎπππ ππ πππ πππππππππ.
A sudden power surge enveloped his body as the skill was ingrained into his soul. Still warm from the feeling, curious, Orochi clicked on the new skill.
A willing servant can gift part of their spirit power to the host permanently.
Orochi's eyes widened at the description.
β°ββ€
Back in his room, the curtains had been taken down. Althea had begun removing anything they could sell to make extra money. Now, waiting at the edge of his bed, Orochi listened to the clicking of Althea's heels approaching.
He sat staring at the double doors like a king receiving a subject.
The doors opened. Althea bowed quickly, a bead of sweat tracing down her forehead. The day had been exhausting for her.
"Young master, I have some news to report."
She stood at attention. Orochi had told her a half-baked truth about his new condition: a sudden enlightenment, a spiritual awakening, blah blah. Althea had lapped it up with stars in her eyes. The previous Orochi must have been a real eyesore, because she didn't question him for a second. She was delighted to see him taking things seriously.
Orochi inspected her from head to toe. Althea stayed still under his gaze.
A holographic window appeared beside her.
[πΈππππππ π°ππππππππ]
ππππππ: π°πππππ
ππππ: ππππ π΄ππ
π°ππ: πΈπ·
ππππππ: π±ππππ πππππππ ππ π·ππππ πΌπππ-π±πππ
ππππππ πΏππ ππ: π°+
π΄ππππππππ πππππ: π°ππ‘ππππ. πΏπππππππππ. π»ππ’ππ πππ’πππ ππππ’.
πππππππ’:
π° π’ππππ ππππ π΄ππ ππππππ ππ πππππππππ.
πππππ πππππππππ, ππππ ππππππ πππππππππππ’, πππ πππππππππ’ ππππ ππππππππππ ππ πππ π·πππ.
ππππππ πππππππ ππππππππ.
π°πππππππππ π³πππ π»πππππ.
π·πππππ πΈππππππ π»ππππ ππππππππ.
It was everything he expected."Bound Servant of House Moon-Born" meant she wasn't just loyal to him.This was concerning.
"Althea, come to me."
Althea stepped forward, now only a metre away.
"Where do your loyalties lie?"
Her eyes widened. The words spilled out quickly."Only you, young master."
Orochi wanted to believe her, but the System had no bias.
"You understand I have many enemies. I do not know where danger will come from. I need people I can absolutely trust."
"You⦠don't trust me?" Althea's voice cracked, stung by the implication.
"I trust you. But I am a Moon-Born. I deal in absolutes when it comes to loyalty."
He waited, letting her ask the question.
"What would you have me do, young master?" Althea asked, resolve gathering in her eyes.
Good. That was what he needed.
"An Oath. You swore one to House Moon-Born. I now unbind you from it. A new Oath must be made only to me. Orochi."
Some would call this paranoia. Orochi called it a business guarantee.And there was another reason:Her A+ Spirit Power confirmed his research. He had been wondering why even with a Spirit Orb and now contract he had still had no Spirit Power. Without Spirit Power he couldn't use skills any of the other skills. But the problem had a remedy with the Oath skill. Why work for it when he could leech?
Snow Elves were born with powerful innate Spirit Power, even uncontracted.They had once been conquered, enslaved, and sold.A single Snow Elf maid could hold off ten knights.
If he could take even a fraction of Althea's power, he could reach Ascension Lv 2 instantly.
Althea didn't hesitate. She knelt beside the boy she had raised, trembling not with fear, but with devotion.
"I swear my life to you, Orochi," she whispered. "My breath, my strength⦠my spirit."
The air thickened.
A cold whisper curled up Orochi's spine.
[π΄ππππππ π²πππ πΎπππ π³πππππππ]
π° π ππππππ ππππππ ππππππ ππππππ ππ πππ π·πππ.
π²ππππππ πππππππππ.
πΈπππππππππ πΎπππππππβ¦
Althea gasped as a black tendril seeped from her chest, stretching towards Orochi like a slithering ribbon. Her knees buckled, sweat dripping down her neck, yet she did not resist.
The serpent inside Orochi stirred approvingly.
[πΎπππ ππππππππππ]
[ππππππ ππππππππ ππππππππππ]
Althea collapsed forward, catching herself weakly.
A black serpentine mark formed at the nape of her neck, glowing faintly before fading.
"Are you satisfied, young master?"
"Indeed," said Orochi, adjusting his collar like nothing unusual had occurred. "Now, about that report. Have you found me a tutor?"
( κβ‘κ)
[πΎπππππππ ππππππ π³πππππππ]
Β [πππππ πΆππ ππ’ππππ πΎπππππ]
Β β¦
πΎπππππππ πΎππ ππππππ
Β π·πππ: πΎπππππ πΌπππ-π±πππ
Β π°ππππππππ π»π: π·
π΄ππππππ π²πππ πΎππππ: π·
ππππππ πΏππ ππ: π³+
Β ππππππ: π½πππ πΌπππππ, ππππππππ, πΈππππππ, πππππ πππππ, π΄ππππππ πΎπππ π²πππ
Β π³ππππ’ πΌππππππππππ π΅ππ: π° ππππ. (π³π°π½πΆπ΄π! πΎ πΌπΎππ΄ π·πΎπππ ππΎ πΏπ°π ππ·π΄ π΅π΄π΄! π³π°π½πΆπ΄π!)