On the other side of the world, on mountain floating in the sky, in the continent of, Tsugan, a bald old man with distinctive Asian features and a long groomed beard was kneeling inside of his temple 'meditating'. Suddenly, his eyes shot open as confusion, fear, and a sliver of hope began to take form in his heart.
He didn't know why or how, but he suddenly felt the subtle connection to his old mentor before it quickly disappeared, but it was long enough for him to know he wasn't mistaken. After all of these years, the successor to the Shinigami sect had finally been found. As the years moved on and he entered old age, he feared that the end of the sect has long since came and gone, but now there was hope. Now there was a reason for him hiding out all of these years with his family, preparing for the rise of the successor.
"Kazumi!" The old man shouted as he stood up with the help of his cane, not so subtlety tossing a picture with a beautiful woman to the side of the room.
A few moments later, a strapping young man appeared out of a poof of smoke. He was a tall human with Asian features that most women would consider to be quite handsome. He had short, messy, ash-grey hair that looked like he just got out of bed. He had sharp, narrowed eyes that had a lazy, uncaring look about them. He wore a half-open orange and black kimono that left part of his chiseled chest exposed and showed the many scares covering his body.
Lighting a cigarette and putting it in his mouth, he held the hilt his katana as he sat lazily, looking at his grandfather with a disinterested expression, before spotting a shady picture on the side of the room, and looking disgusted. If Rey were to see him, he would say the young man reminded him of a cool looking ronin from one of the anime he used to watch.
"Yeah, what do you want, perverted old bastard?" The young man, Kazumi, asked casually. He was just having a wonderful dream about sharing a drink with a beautiful woman when his grandfather ruined it by waking him up.
"This is no time for sitting around lazily, Kazumi! The successor to the Shinigami Sect has finally been found!" The old man said as he hobbled over to lightly bonk Kazumi on the head for his insult.
Rubbing the top of his head, Kazumi's eyes widened slightly before they went back to being disinterested. With a heavy sigh, he stood back on his feet as he did big stretch.
"It's about damn time. I was getting tired of being cooped up in this old temple with you. So, what do you want me to do?" Kazumi asked as he let out a long plume of smoke from his cigarette.
"I sensed Master Jinbe's soul in the southern most part of the Essex continent, but that was all I got before I lost the connection. You must be quick, Kazumi. If I have sensed Master Jinbe's soul, that means others have as well. We must not let the successor fall in the enemies hands!"
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Back with Rey, he was still trying to process what Jinbe had told him. Jinbe patiently waited for Rey without saying anything. He knew that what he told him was a lot to take in. Thanks to his curiosity, Rey had suddenly been burdened with a responsibility he didn't think he could shoulder.
'Hey, look, I hate to disappoint you considering you literally put your soul into this, but I don't think I'm ready to become a leader to a whole sect. Hell, I still haven't even fully recovered my memories or gotten to the first stage of Cultivation yet!' Rey said as the pressure of multiple responsibilities began weighing on him.
Between learning to be a Healer, his Combat training, recovering his memories, the whole Kairen issue, raising his Cultivation level, Rey just didn't have the capacity to take on another responsibility. Especially one that seemed as grand and dangerous as rebuilding an old sect.
'I understand your plights young man, but I think that you misunderstood me. As a teacher at heart, I merely wish to pass on my knowledge and resources to one who is worthy to receive them. As much as it pains me to say, the Shinigami Sect is long since gone, and I would never burden you by pushing my centuries old failure on to you.' Jinbe said in a magnanimous tone.
Hearing this, Rey let out a heavy sigh and slumped back against the wall of the bed. He was immensely relieved that he wouldn't have some impossible task dumped onto him by some cursed spirit.
'Okay, good. So, what happens now?' Rey asked. He was hoping the giant scroll did more than just put a dead old man's voice in his head.
'Now, it is time for you to receive the inheritance, at least in part. I'm afraid with your level of Cultivation, you won't be able to receive the full inheritance just yet.' Jinbe said in an apologetic and regretful tone.
Jinbe was worried Rey would be upset about not getting the full inheritance after going through the hassle of bounding to the scroll, but to his surprise, Rey merely let out a heavy sigh and shrugged his shoulders like it didn't matter.
'Eh, I'm somewhat used to my weakness getting in the way of what I want. But it's no biggy, it's just more motivation for me to get stronger.' Rey said casually, but Jinbe was glad that a calm, rational young man like Rey found his scroll. Thanks to being bound to Rey, Jinbe had insight to some of Rey's thoughts and emotions, so he could tell that Rey was being genuine.
'So, what can I get?' Rey asked, hoping for some kind of boon from the scroll. Since he didn't get one from a god when he first transported to this world, he was hoping this scroll would be a good substitute.
'All you have to do is simply open the scroll, and it will sort out the rest for you.' Jinbe said in a sagely tone.
Seeing no reason not to since he was already bound to the thing, Rey did as he was told and unraveled part of the scroll. The first thing he saw surprised him quite a bit, as it was something he never expected to find in the scroll.
'A system!' Rey nearly blurted aloud. In the scroll was a status system similar to the ones he would read about in his stories. At least a bare-bones version of it.
(Name: Reymond Reed (?????)
Age: 18
Cultivation Level: Peak-Commoner (Near Breakthrough)
Title: Successor to the Shinigami Sect, Karrick's Shame, ?????
Weapon Preference: Staff
Martial Art: Vicious Reed)
Though Rey was happy to see a system, no matter how simple it was, he couldn't get over a few discrepancies that he found in the information.
'What the hell? Since when have I been considered 'Karrick's Shame'? And why are there question marks behind my name and that hidden Title?' Rey asked, as being tied to Karrick in any fashion rubbed him the wrong way.
'Well, I'm afraid I don't know. It is said that the energy of this world has a will of its own. That's why we can simply draw Runes or say the name of an Incantation and the rest is handled for us.' Jinbe explained.
'Hmm, sounds like that thing from the 'Star Battles' movies. So, the universe considers me as Karrick's Shame, huh? Then one day I'll just have it give me the title, Karrick's Slayer.' Rey thought to himself with a vicious grin.
As he thought to move on past the status section, the surface of the page did a transition and showed a new section. There were 10 columns, one for each of the Cultivation stages, plus an extra one that had questions on it. Not surprisingly, all of the columns besides, Commoner, were blacked out, as he has yet to reach those cultivation stages. To his delight, there were actually a few items for him under the Commoner stage.
(Commoner:
Inscription-Basic Manual
Training Dungeon
Alchemy-Basic Manual)
'Though it's only three things, These three are not only the only items you can use since you haven't reached the Novice stage yet, but they will also be the foundations of you becoming immensely powerful in the future. Inscription is probably the most versatile technique I had in my arsenal. Not only can you use it to make Talismans, Seals, Charms and Contracts, but you can also make powerful defensive Wards and Arrays to perform complex, automated tasks. Inscription is only limited by your amount of preparation and creativity. Plus, even if you can't sense or use magic now, you can still study and practice inscribing for when you can.' Jinbe said, putting a huge smile on Rey's face.
Though many people choose Alchemy and Blacksmithing as their professions when the get transported to a new world and become super wealthy and powerful, listening to Jinbe now, Inscription was potentially one of the most lucrative arts one could study in. Rey already saw himself getting filthy rich selling Healing Charms and Defensive Wards.
'The next one is also quite useful. I can't tell you how battles I've been in where one simple potion saved my life. Besides Healing, Alchemy can be used to create all sorts of potions, pills, and even gases with all sorts of effects. Plus, in the early stages of Alchemy, one doesn't necessarily need magic, they merely need to follow the recipe. Of course, when you do breakthrough to the Novice stage, things will be much easier. But, this should do for now.' Jinbe said with slightly less zeal than when he was explaining Inscription. He clearly had a favorite of the two.
'Lastly, the Training Dungeon will probably be your most useful tool in pulling you ahead of the competition. Like the name suggests, Training Dungeon is a pocket dimension where time moves 3 times slower than reality. Though the lowest level is Novice and it may be dangerous for you right now, not only does the Dungeon not limit the first stage based on level, I believe this will be the right push to break you into the next stage. The only limitation is, you can only use the Dungeon once a day. You can stay in there as long as you'd like, but if you leave, you'll have to wait a whole day before you can return.' Jinbe said, making sure he stressed the limitation of the dungeon.
When Rey heard this, he was practically jumping for joy. This was it. This was the boon that he had been praying for ever since he came to Terria. He arrived in this world at the lowest level and even nearly got assaulted thanks to his weakness. Finally, he had something to not only catch him up to the competition, but possibly overtake them.
As soon as Jinbe finished explaining the Commoner Inheritance, the surface of the scroll lit up to impossibly bright levels. But, before Rey could shut his eyes, he saw the bright light form into a beam and shoot straight between his eyes, causing him to lose consciousness.
Waking up feeling excruciating pain in not only his head, but also his face, which gave him a weird sense of deja Vu, Rey opened his eyes to confirm his suspicions. He was once again face-flat on the floor of his room. Groaning as he turned over, Rey saw Harris once again giving him the stare down as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"Lad, is this going to be an every day occurrence? Get your sleepy ass up before the damn she-demon bites my head off for you being late again." Harris grumbled before he left the room.
'I know I'm a heavy sleeper and all, but you could still be a little gentler with me you old bastard. I literally already have brain damage!' Rey complained in his heart as he picked himself up off the ground.
'Hmm, that man is very talented at hiding his level, but I can still tell he is extremely powerful. Be sure to not make him an enemy, Young One.' said an old voice in his head, nearly making Rey jump out of his skin.
Right when he was about to freak out, the events from yesterday replayed in his mind, including the existence of Jinbe.
'Holy shit, I forgot all about you. Wait, what the hell was that last night?! Why did I black out?' Rey asked with an accusatory tone. He was planning to meditate and hopefully breakthrough last night.
'I told you I would bestow you with my knowledge, and that's what I did. Though it may seem scrambled and confusing right know, you now possess my knowledge of the very basics of Inscription and Alchemy, as well as the ability to transport yourself to the Training Dungeon. Bestowing all of that knowledge can take a while and cause great pain, so I put you to sleep so that you could rest and not have to endure that struggle.' Jinbe said in a grandfatherly tone.
When Rey heard this, he felt bad for the way that he reacted to Jinbe. Though everything was sudden and unusual, Jinbe has not only be patient with him, he was he offering Rey the once in a lifetime chance to gain unbelievable power.
'Im sorry, Master Jinbe. I must've woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or rather, the floor. I better get ready before the old man smacks me on the head again.' Rey said as he quickly slid on his Healer robes and got his things together.
During the long ride to Central Harrend, due to nothing interesting happening and Harris not being the most talkative person, Rey decided to take this time to meditate and sort out his new knowledge. Like Jinbe said, the new knowledge about Inscription and Alchemy was a complete mess.
Only the knowledge how to get to the Training Dungeon was readily available, as he simply had to concentrate, recite an Incantation, then he would be transported there. But, Rey decided not to do that until after his training with Harris. That way, he won't have to worry about other obligations and he can leave more time for the dungeon.
Sadly, fate had other plans for the young lion.