Chronicles System Start-Up Complete.
Newsflash: Reincarnated into a Vengeful Survivor!
[User has been given new life as the last survivor of the Xi Clan.]
Newsflash: Adopted as a Closer Disciple of Master Huang!
[User has been accepted as the fifth of the Huang Five Elements, filling the spot of Earth in Master Huang's disciples' Five Element Formation.]
Newsflash: Miss Ruyi's Future Suitor?!
[User has gained a great deal of attention from the young Miss Ruyi. Please restrain yourself from doing anything untoward upon your teacher's daughter. She is still underaged.]
"HEY!" Riku protested in his mind. "That was completely uncalled for!"
What kind of system was this? Wasn't it supposed to be a super-cheat that gave him godlike presents and incredible powers and such?
What's with this tabloid-like news articles?
At least he had an idea of why he had it. This whole reincarnation thing and having two sets of memories were all part of the same package deal. It was all very confusing and perhaps this system was just trying to help him sort things out?
That, or make things worse.
"So, system, what can you do?" Riku asked.
[I can tell you what's going on.] the system replied.
Riku waited.
There was no further comment.
"That's it? That's all you can do?" Riku spluttered. "What about giving me super-powers and presents and everything?"
[System cannot give you everything, or super-powers. If you want a present, here is a smiley. :D ]
"So you're just some internal gossip-monger?!" Riku protested.
[System has no external communication means. Therefore, no gossip can be mongered.]
"Great. Can't you at least give me an Over Powered Cultivation Technique or something?"
[As I said. System cannot give you presents. I can only tell you what is going on. The most powerful Cultivation Technique in a 100m radius is the Ethereal Depths Technique in the B4 Underground Vault. Only Master Huang can give it to you.]
Riku paused. "Huh. So you DO have some abilities. How do I get into the B4 vault?"
[You ask Master Huang very, very nicely. Maybe he'll let you in?]
"Come on. Surely you can at least tell me how to get there?"
[With your current capabilities? Asking Master Huang is the only possible way.]
Riku paused. "What are my current capabilities, anyway?"
A report popped up.
Name: Huang Riku
Titles: Master Huang's Latest Closer Disciple. Miss Ruyi's No:5 Servant.
Skills: None
Techniques: None
Assets: None
[No other pertinent info available.]
"So basically, I know nothing and have nothing?"
[Exactly. User, please learn something as soon as possible. Anything will do.]
Riku opened his eyes to see Master Huang, Shui, Jin and Ruyi looked at him with various levels of concern on their faces. Feeling very sore about 'knowing nothing and having nothing', Riku immediately pleaded with Master Huang. "Please teach me!!"
"Very good!" Master Huang slapped his knee. "For your humility, you are immediately promoted to become the Master of Earth of the Five Elements and given authority and responsibility over all things of the soil in the entire territory of Summer Courtyard!"
"Great!" Riku said, in awe. "What does that mean?"
"That means you're the household gardener." Shui explained.
Riku facepalmed.
"Do not look down upon working with the soil. There are great benefits in helping you understand the earth element better." Master Huang intoned.
"Also, we get free food." Shui added subtly. "But don't worry. All of us have our household chores. Mine is washing the dishes and the laundry. Ironing that laundry is one of Jin's jobs. Also, Huo does most of the cooking. As for Mu… gardening was her chore, but she's going to go into intensive training soon…"
"So they're just dumping her chores into my lap?" Riku protested.
"Think of it as payment. I will have her teach you the basics of the Five Elements Harmony cultivation technique." Master Huang mentioned.
"It's a secret technique that only the five of us practice." Shui told him conspirationally. "Master Huang's other disciples study variants of this core technique, but we five get the real thing."
"There are others?" Riku frowned. "Then why are WE doing the chores?"
"We only handle the chores of Summer Courtyard." Shui said. "Out there, it's different."
"How so?"
Shui shook his head. "It doesn't matter. Until we completely master the Novice stage of the Five Elements technique, we're not even allowed to leave the Courtyard."
Riku stared. "How far away is that?!"
"That depends on you." Shui told him. "It takes five people each taking a different element to master that stage. So in other words…"
"You're all stuck here with me until I get there." Riku gulped.
Shui gave him a deathly grin. "Right. So you better buck up. My girlfriend is waiting for me out there, and I can't go see her until you get your act together."
"You have a girlfriend? How old are you anyway?!"
"Eleven."
Maybe children in this world matured a whole lot faster than they did in the other one? Riku's this-world memories seemed to imply that a person was eligible for marriage at age 13.
"But wait, what about Huang Tu?" Riku asked. "Wasn't the Earth position already taken by someone else?"
"Huang Tu… is no longer with us." Shui said, his face falling. "He died. The Spider Brothers killed him."
***
Huang Tu had been a simple child who followed Ruyi everywhere and served her hand and foot. When the Spider Brothers bullied them, he protected her no matter what, and as a result, was beaten up badly. After a few days of rest, he was back on his feet and everyone thought he was fully recovered, but then one night he started vomiting blood. They were going to bring him to the doctor at first light, but by then he was already gone.
He was buried next to the garden shed at the back of the Summer Courtyard. Shui, Jin and Ruyi brought Riku there to solemnly pay their respects together.
"What did Master Huang do to the Spider Brothers?" Riku asked, as they were leaving.
"What can he do? What can any of us do?" Jin said crossly. "Their father is the Spider King, and their mother is known as the Scorpion Sting. Their uncles are some of the strongest fighters in the province. Who dares to touch them?"
Thinking back to his other set of memories, Riku suggested, "Isn't there some sort of law-enforcement? Who rules this country?"
Shui pointed. "He does."
He was pointing at Master Huang. But not even Master Huang could do anything about the Spider Brothers…
Apparently Master Huang was the local magistrate. He judged court cases, signed lots of important documents for people who did things legally, and made sure Baron Tarn received the taxes due every year. He was the lawful overseer of Widon town and the villages around this area, backed by the town guard. Unfortunately, there were some people who were too strong, too rich, or had powerful backers for a mere magistrate and the town guard to handle.
It was not that he was weak. Master Huang was a famous expert around town. He was highly respected and well-known wherever he went. For many years, he kept the peace and order of Widon Fief in good condition. Only in recent years did upheavals nearby cause an influx of experts from outside, and therein began the problems.
For instance, there was a herbalist who discovered a sect predecessor's lost garden, and some of those plants were very old and very valuable. Rather than try to seize what he could and run, he decided to stay to keep cultivating the herbs and hire private personal protection… some of his old enemies and competitors arrived with their own experts and before you knew it, blood was running in the streets.
Three pharmacies sprouted up overnight and started to compete for the herb garden's attention. One day, a stink-bomb exploded and started a long, long, long string of sabotage and retaliation. Eventually, mischief went to the extreme end and new gravestones began to fill the cemetery.
Then two merchant families moved in and tried to deal with different pharmacies. A rival herbalist arrived and challenged the original herbalist. The families, pharmacies and herbalists began a dance of agreements, alliances, and back-stabbing betrayals. Meanwhile, seeing this newly thriving settlement, more merchants and businesses began to set up shop and started their own webs of strife…
By the time the Xi Clan was wiped out, Master Huang was already in well over his head. He almost didn't manage to find out about the Xi Clan being in trouble at all.
Riku heard all this over lunch with his new teacher and family. To the current situation, Master Huang declared, "The next time some lucky bookworm discovers a bunch of precious herbs in the vicinity, I'm kicking him AND his herbs out pronto!"
But of course, by this point, that sort of resolution was far too little, too late.
At that point, Ruyi's mother, an elderly, comfortable-looking woman placed her hand on Riku's shoulder. "Don't worry about any of that, dear. Just focus on your studies and cultivation. Once you grow bigger and stronger, then you'll be able to help Master Huang."
"Which reminds me. Riku needs to learn some general knowledge too. It wouldn't do for him to be like Tarantula." Master Huang mentioned.
"Who's 'Tarantula'?" Riku asked.
"The fifth Spider brother. Total meat-head." Shui informed him.
"How many Spider brothers are there?" Riku asked.
"Eight? Or maybe six brothers and two sisters…" Shui wasn't sure how to count them.
"There's still a month to go before Green Buds School has its entry exams. Riku should take the time to cram while he can." Master Huang added. "If he can get in on his first try, I will help him forge his own Spirit Sword."
CLANK! Ruyi dropped her chopsticks sharply on her bowl. "WHAT?! You wouldn't even let me touch one! How come he gets a Spirit Sword all to himself?!"
"That is because Riku has special talents regarding Spirit Swords. Specifically, in forging them." Master Huang grinned to Riku. "Am I right?"
Memories that belonged to this-world's ten year-old Riku flickered. "Master Huang, I am indeed a member of the Xi Clan. However, I can only forge Grade-1 Spirit Swords. I have not yet learned to forge Grade-2 Spirit Swords."
"But it won't be difficult for you to learn. You have the bloodline talent, don't you?"
Riku fell silent, thinking back. "I think so."
At least, this-world Riku did. Whether it was still there or not… he'd have to try and find out.