“Hey, did you know that there is a hot spring resort on that mountain over there.” said Gambol. He pointed to a mountain in the distance.
“No I didn’t. Have you been?” asked Scott.
The ninja master nodded. “Once, but I was never given the chance to actually enjoy the place.”
“Why not?”
Gambol shrugged. “I was on a job. It ended and I had to go.”
“Can you talk about it?” asked Scott.
Laughter was Gambol’s first response. “Sure, it’s not like any of this is real.”
Scott blinked. “What do you mean?”
Gambol shook his head. “Well, to the people here it’s real. So, there is that... I meant being a ninja, human, all of that.”
Scott nodded once then looked to the one of the other mountains for a moment. Sometimes he forgot the truth of this world. Everything here was made to be a game for a group of gods to play around. There were so many questions that he wanted to ask, but he did not know if he truly wanted to know the answer. Still, he did have those questions.
“Gambol, can you tell me something?” asked Scott.
“I can try.” said the ninja master.
Scott lifted his head and looked to the sky for a moment then looked back down at the mountains in the distance. “What is Origin hiding from me?”
The ninja master blinked then looked closely. “What do you mean?”
The Noob sorcerer shook his head. “I don’t know... I just get the feeling that there is something that she has not told me yet.”
“Like what?” asked the ninja.
“I thought that she had told me everything, but every now and then I will mention something about the future and she will smile for a moment then she’ll get this weird look and turn away.”
Gambol rubbed his chin for a moment. “She told you about her, right?”
“She’s told me a bit. I don’t doubt that there is a lot more to learn, though.” said Scott.
Gambol nodded. “True, and she has been dealing with those idiots on the board of late, too.”
“Hmm?” asked Scott.
“Oh, you don’t know about that?” asked Gambol.
“I’m not sure. She might have said something.” said Scott.
“Ah, well the board is giving Origin and her family a lot of crap lately. Profits took a slight drop, I think, and whenever that happens they start wanting to stick their finger in ARS and fiddle with the world settings.”
“I take it that is not a good thing?”
“No, it’s not. They’re a bunch of suits who don’t even play games, if you can believe it. Every time they get involved the place gets wrecked and the whole world needs to be rebooted.”
“What happens to the people living here?” asked Scott. A shudder skittered along his spine. He could already guess what would happen.
“Most of them die. The few who are left often wish they had. Everything changes and it is rough. Divine intervention won’t work until the new system is in place, so decades tend to pass before even basic healing magic works again.”
“What? Are you serious?” asked Scott. He could not believe what he was hearing. Gambol had easily explained that a bunch of guys were casually deciding on implementing the end of the world and hell on ARS.
“Yeah, it’s happened a few times. It sucks too. Everything changes, and not necessarily for the better.”
Scott looked down at the ground. Was that what was going to happen? Would a bunch of assholes casually decide to end the world? Rhea had mentioned a few things here and there, but she had never gone into detail.
“Don’t be so down about it guy. Maybe you’ll win.” said Gambol with a smile.
Scott blinked then stared at him. “Win...? What would I be winning?”
Gambol tilted his head to the side. “You don’t know?”
“No...”
“Oh! Well, you’re the champion of Origin, right?” asked Gambol.
“Yeah, I think so. She kept saying I was her champion...” said Scott.
Gambol laughed then shook his head. “No, no... Well yes, but no.”
Scott looked at the ninja master. What was he on about?
“You don’t know?” asked Gambol in surprise.
“No... Probably not.” said Scott.
Gambol grinned. “You’re the champion of Origin, not just your girlfriend but the company itself.”
“What does that mean...?” asked Scott. He had a glimmer of a thought, but he did not want to assume things.
“You’re the central combat figure who’s destined to battle the forces of the board in order to defend the current world setting.”
“Are you serious? You can’t be serious!” exclaimed Scott.
Gambol smiled. “If you win, the world goes on. If you lose, the world will be brought to ruin. People will live in a constant nightmare for the rest of their short and horrible lives. Civilization will be destroyed and most life on the planet will go extinct.”
“The hell...?” asked Scott. His eyes widened slowly. What did that great grinning ninja just say to him? He had not just told him something that insane.
“No pressure, right?” Gambol laughed cheerfully.
Scott’s left eyelid began to twitch spastically. When Rhea returned he had a few choice questions to ask her. This... He didn’t even know where to start with whatever this mess was, and he wanted to know his real part in it.
Chapter 17: Those Peaceful Days...
The forest glade was filled with the sights and smells of nature. Wildflowers permeated the air with their perfume. Small birds and the occasional drone of a bee gave rise to a natural music that competed with the airy sound of the background music of ARS.
Scott finished his cast of the blue water fang spell so that Sharde could see what his primordial magic did. He had chosen to speak with her regarding his magic before he spoke with Rhea about that minor little thing that she had opted not to tell him about in detail.
After the water works died down the ninja girl nodded. “Not bad. Things will get better when you truly master it.”
“They will? How so?”
“Well, I’ll let you find that out on your own. You’ll like it, though.” said Sharde. She winked at him when he seemed like he was going to complain.
Scott frowned. What sort of help was this? “Seriously...?”
“Yes, primordial magic usage will make you one of the stronger sorcerers on the continent. You just have to figure out the finer details.” said Sharde.
“That’s one of the reasons that I came to see you...”griped Scott.
“I know. I know.” said Sharde. She smiled at him in a pleasant way then gestured toward a nearby stump.
Scott turned to look at the stump and Sharde grinned. He waited for her to do something, but she never did. So, he asked her, “Why did you want me to look at that stump?”
Sharde snorted. “That’s my point exactly.”
Scott stared at her. She had a point?
The ninja master rolled her eyes. “I pointed at a stump. You looked at it then asked me why I pointed at a stump.”
“Thank you for captioning my life...” remarked Scott. He had begun to feel a little annoyed at this conversation.
Sharde laughed loudly then shook her head. “You still don’t get it? Fine, shall I tell you?”
“Yes, yes you shall.” said Scott with a hopeful expression.
“Alright, listen to big sister Sharde and do exactly what she says....” said Sharde.
Scott nodded and she grinned in response. The underdressed ninja master pointed at the stump once more.
Sharde said, “If I tell you exactly how primordial magic works it will be no different than pointing at that stump while expecting you to understand a great truth.”
Scott looked at her curiously but said nothing. She was trying to make a point, he hoped.
The ninja girl winked at Scott. “It’s the same thing. Get it?”
; “I’m not that bright.” said Scott. What was she on about, anyway?
Sharde sighed loudly. “Of course... I’ll be blunt. Is that what you want?”
“Yes, I would prefer that.” said Scott with a smile.
The ninja snorted at him once, loudly. “Fine... If I tell you everything that you need to know about primordial magic, you won’t learn it properly. I might as well point at a random stump and expect you to know the fundamental secrets of the universe.”
Scott frowned at her for a moment then sighed. “I see. Can you at least tell me a good training path for it?”
“It? Oh, you mean that bullshit spell you learned?” asked Sharde with a smile.
“Uh, yes...” said Scott. Bullshit spell? Was it really bullshit?
Sharde laughed loudly. “Don’t waste your time with that crappy spell, Scott. Just master it and move on. It’s just something basic that you learn in order to gain the real power of primordial magic.”
“Which is...?” asked Scott.
Sharde started to say something then caught herself. “Stop being clever... It’ll ruin your future.”
Scott blinked when she suddenly jumped forward and landed in front of him. The girl had become a little too close for comfort, far too quickly. Not that he would have minded normally, but he was no longer a single man and she was the sister of someone he cared a great deal about. Even if that relationship was incredibly new and still a bit raw, he did not want to hurt Rhea.
“I’ll tell you two things, but answer no questions, alright?” said Sharde. She leaned in closer, far too close.
“Sure....” said Scott. He leaned back a little but it did no good. She closed the distance once more.
“First, primordial magic is the most ancient and powerful form of magic. It is the power the gods use to make this world. It is a free form creative power.”
“What do you mean free form creative power?” asked Scott.
Sharde leaned further against him and he was forced back against a tree to avoid her attempt to invade his personal space. “I’ll answer no questions....”
Scott pressed himself against the tree and she leaned into him. His eyes widened when she kissed him firmly on the lips. He hesitated for a brief moment then started to push her away. However, it was unnecessary.
Sharde pulled back then said, “Second... You blew it pal. I’m a taken woman now.”
Scott blinked at her and she smiled at him. “Taken?” he asked.
Her eyes flared wide then she leapt back and away from him with impossible grace. She performed an immaculate mid-air backflip that showed him far more than he should have seen. After landing she opened her fan then fanned it casually. “I’ll answer no questions...”
Scott stared at the odd girl for a moment then she threw back her head and laughed, “Oh ho ho ho ho.”
***
Ero fluttered about the small lake near the mountain cabin. She loved the scenery of the area and could not help but enjoy the feeling of being nearly fresh water. The sea was nice, but nothing beat a nice lake or spring. She fluttered about while she merrily hummed a happy little tune.
Nearby, Rhea sifted through her inventory in an attempt to determine what to change. Her current equipment was good, and the agility penalties were practically non-existent. However, she knew that playtime was over. Gambol had spilled the beans to Scott, so now she would need to stop wearing her standard outfit and focus on using better equipment.
She glanced at her inventory then tilted her head to the left. The problem was that she was still quite low in level. She had not planned to upgrade to her next equipment set until she had reached level twenty-five. However, there was no reason to hold back now. If Scott knew some of the truth, and wanted to know more, then she would upgrade to better equipment as soon as she could use it without penalty.
“I’ll just equip a new sword for now, maybe a ring or another accessory as well.” said Rhea.
She felt like it was overkill but she pulled out her best sword, or rather, the best sword that she carried in her inventory. She refused to keep her decent equipment with her. She had that stored away for when she was beyond level one hundred.
Rhea looked at her blade and smiled. If she used this then gaining levels quickly would be no problem at all. It was too bad, though. She had enjoyed allowing Scott to feel superior. He had needed the confidence boost. Though, she was happy to admit that his new armor set was nice for low-end gear. He had a good eye for such things.
The high elf sighed wistfully. If only he had chosen a swordsmanship profession. She would have gladly given him this sword. She did not keep any unarmed combat gear around. It was probably for the best, however. He had needed to learn the way the world worked and struggle to gain his levels. Otherwise, he would not be ready for what was to come. Level was not everything, after all.
She eyed her blade once more then inspected the stats to make certain she was using the right one. It would be embarrassing to use the wrong weapon.
<<< Item >>>
Blade of the Starlight Dancer
A weapon forged by a grandmaster swordsmith. The Blade of the Starlight Dancer has an edge so keen that it is said to be capable of cutting through anything.
Attack: + 697
Durability: 670/670
Value: 36,234,679
Special
Atomic Edge: Attack damage ignores physical defense.
Dynamic Vacuum Arc-Slash: Generates a vacuum effect that allows the attack range of the weapon to increase to three times the length of the blade.
Heroic Strength: Strength +400
Dancer’s Grace: Agility +250
Nocturnal Embrace: Regenerates health at a rate 5% of the damage dealt to opponents.
Soul Devouring: Drains mana from opponents at a rate of 5% of the damage dealt.
Grandmaster’s Secret
Starlight Flash: A special technique that allows the wielder of the blade to move with incredible speed in a singular direction.
<<< * >>>
Rhea sighed at the blade. “Way too much for my level, but oh well. I might as well cut down our leveling time in this world.”
She unequipped a set of bracelets that she wore then felt her power increase by a profound degree. Just to be sure, she decided to check her status. She had told Scott that her stats were lower than his, but to be honest that was not the case. She had reincarnated a few times and as such even at level ten she was a little more advanced than he was.
Only her equipment choices had limited what she could do since her attack and defense bonuses were not as high as a sorcerer’s. However, in order to better match with Scott she had used suppression bracelets to lower her stats. They were a common tool of law enforcement in this world, though the ones that guards used tended to look plain. Her set was made of mithril and looked like lovely jewelry to prevent people from realizing what they were.
<<< Status >>>
Name: Rhea Ardente | Class: Arcane Blade | Race: High-Elf
Title: Divine Harbinger
Age: 201 | Level: 10
EXP: 112600
Next Level: 98600
Ability Points: 27869
Health: 590[590] | Mana: 667[667]
Attack: 468[3097] | Defense: 394[2628]
Strength: 530[930] | Agility: 597[847] | Accuracy: 482[482]
Intellect: 563[563] | Luck: 312[312]
<<< * >>>
Her normal stats were quite a bit higher than what someone who had never reincarnated would be able to acquire. She had not even bothered to use her ability points to increase her stats during this incarnation, yet other than to re-purchase her level-based stat modifiers.
Her ability points had been carried over from her last reincarnation and she had built them up throughout their adventure to date. It would be pointless to spend them at her level since she could easily work her way back up to post level one hundred gameplay status with only her reincarnation stats.
“What accessories
to choose...?” She had not bothered to wear anything useful because of her suppression bracelets. After looking through her items, she sighed then shook her head. There was no need to use them yet.
She looked over and saw Ero shake hands with a butterfly. The innocent image made her smile. Her smile faded a little as thoughts of what was to come invaded her mind. “How many more of these peaceful days will we have?”
Chapter 18: His Heart Wasn’t Ready
Shara gazed at the tiara in her hands. It had been set to bi-furcate her consciousness so that she could help Rhea and her Scott, while she had the chance to get to know the cute and fat version that she had chosen for herself.
The goddess smiled brightly. Despite her decision to continue to help her sister, Shara would only focus on the fat Scott for the moment. She planned to stay in his world for an entire week, in fact.
She had her paperwork signed and accepted. She even had her avatar design approved. She would go to that Earth as a cute teenage girl who wore a Catholic school girl outfit. For the first week she would be entirely human, as that would allow her to get to know him better before she made him the deal of a lifetime. When she returned, she would log into ARS. The time difference between realities was fairly great, only a short time would pass here compared to the one week on the Earth that she intended to visit.
Rhea was going to be busy with her version of Scott for the rest of the day, anyway. They had a lot to talk about.
Shara placed the tiara atop her head and grinned like an idiot. Finally, there would be a Scott just for her!
She logged into the system and her avatar was immediately projected onto the screen. She would spend her time split from it. Basically, she chose to watch herself walk around that human world instead of undertaking full immersion. In many ways it was like she telepathically controlled a game character.
Shara giggled to herself and her onscreen avatar did the same. The avatar had been created just down the street from Scott’s house. It did not take long to arrive. She watched her miniature version knock on the door.
Origin ARS 3 (Origin A.R.S.) Page 19
