RetiredMechanic: People come and go in the trading system. Not all of us are fortunate. KickBaal has been fighting for as long as I can remember.
The Mechanic is raising a glass to his fallen comrade. "The feeling when you can't help your friend… sucks."
VampireKid: He couldn't do business, nor did the people in his tribe wealthy.
He shared a story about him and KickBaal. When he ascended to tier 3, he can give out a quest. There he learns of KickBaal's situation. The man didn't have any tc at all.
So he gives out a quest that has a 100,000 tc reward. He makes sure that the quest is easy to do even if he is fighting the demon. It is the most wealth KickBaal has in his lifetime.
VampireKid: Do you know how he spent it? He bought food for the people of his world. He saved more than 90% of the town population from starvation and resorting to cannibalism.
VampireKid will always be in awe of KickBaal. He is transmigrated into an extremely chaotic time, and the man manages to survive for 30 years. If it was him, he would go insane.
KickBaal manages to stay sane in the war because of the chat group. Otherwise, his mind will have been gone a long time ago.
QueenElf: I am the one who invited him into the chat group. By then, he didn't even change his name. Raikas. That is his name. A simple barbarian, his greatest pleasure is having a full belly.
The closest one to KickBaal is QueenElf. It's been a decade since she noticed him. They will talk in a private chat anytime they get to.
That's why it's hard for anyone in the trading system to get close with the others. When one of them is dead, it feels unreal. It's even difficult to mourn as they didn't know each other's names.
Mythic: May his soul find peace.
RedWidow: May his soul find peace.
TheDoctor: Let's raise a glass of the finest Fire spirit liquor you got, To Raikas!
Hydra: To Raikas!
It is now an ordinary Saturday, the third week of January 2011. Ryan got the news during the trading session on Thursday.
"To Raikas," a tired voice makes a toast. Ryan down a glass of the fire spirit to mourn his fallen comrade.
He sat down on the balcony to drink while watching the snowfall. Even the heavy snow couldn't stop the people in the busy city. In front of him sat a beautiful girl in formal wear and makeup as she was preparing to go out.
Gwen poured a cup of drink down her throat. "To Raikas," she said.
Ryan smiles seeing the blush on Gwen's face as she drinks the fire spirit. It is something that will make an ordinary mortal pass out after a glass.
The heavy snow seems to avoid the couple. It falls around them but not on them. Even the cold air didn't bother them.
"You don't have to go if you don't want to," she said empathically.
Gwen notices something wrong as Ryan invited her to the island yesterday. He, Dawn, and Kai shared a drink until they were all numb. They got drunk as they had lost a comrade.
She is surprised to hear that there is another person in Ryan's circle of friends. A close one too.
She didn't ask why he didn't tell her, nor did she get mad about it. She knows he will tell her everything if he could explain it.
"I am fine Gwen," Ryan said. The sickening feeling in his chest will always be there. No matter what he does, he will never get closure. Therefore he has to learn to live with it.
"Don't get drunk today. You have a meeting with the mayor," Gwen reminded as she kissed his forehead before she moved inside the house.
"(sigh) Norman really did become mayor…" He mutters underneath his breath.
Although Norman has become the mayor now, there aren't any signs of the goblin appearing. It was safe for now. He notices that Norman already cured his genetic disease. It was thanks to him and Gwen's research that it was released a few months back. Will the Goblin still show up this time?
The meeting with the mayor is to get his proposal approved. Fully sponsored by Ryan, a disaster bunker construction in the middle of New York City. Specifically, the Knight Industry turned into a bunker.
On paper, it will be built soon. The truth is, with the help of his Senator's slave and construction robot, the initial phase of the disaster bunker is already completed.
Today is just a formality. The meeting is beneficial as it will increase Norman's footing in the political world. Ryan is doing the new mayor a favor. He closes the cap on the fire spirit bottle and goes inside to get ready.
Gwen is looking for an earring to match her necklace at the time. Ryan waved his hand and a neat suit floated to him. Using a quick-change spell, he is now ready with his hair gelled back in just 10 seconds.
"Let's go. The bill to increase the teacher's salary and the education minister briefing on the new education system is also today," Ryan said.
The hard drive on the mass effect world has included knowledge such as the history of the world, their society reform, and so on. The human's over there had clawed their way into the universe with only the basic sciences before they found element zero. Ryan is bringing 100 years of human effort to his universe.
"I hate it when you do that," Gwen puffed her cheeks. For once she wants to be the first one to get ready. Ryan smiles and helps her pick an earring.
There is a matching earring but the color is mismatched. He snapped his finger and the earring changed its color. He put on the earring on her and took the chance to bite it.
"Hey, not right now. We need to get going," she gently brushes him away and takes his hand. She drags him out of the house.
She isn't surprised by the weirdness. Ryan already told her about him being a magician.
While all the members of the chat group are grieving in their way, a week passed since they got the news.
…
Diablo world universe. One month after the war with Prime Evil, the Demon Baal. One week after the chat group finds out about KickBaal's demise.
In the snowy cap of Mount Arreat, at the sanctuary. A sanctuary is a sacred place for the barbarian. They were tasked to protect it as the world stone is in the sanctuary.
Baal planned to corrupt the world stone, and bask it in the prime evil, where he is stopped by a lone barbarian named Raikas. During the battle, Baal had been greatly injured. However, Raikas loses his life.
The barbarian has its ways. When they die, they can bind their souls on Mount Arreat. That way, they will become warrior spirits and can pass down their legacy to another barbarian.
A 2.5-meter-tall man is awakened from his slumber. He is now a warrior spirit. He has long hair that he tied into a bun and glorious facial hair. He looks like a Viking. He has a tattoo on his left hand, and armor on his right hand.
He is confused. His weapon is destroyed in the battle. However, his ax is still with him. Raikas sighs as he notices something else. The breath of Baal. His figure becomes translucent and disappears from the naked eye, just like a ghost.
The demon didn't die in their battle before. He sat down on the snowy cap, waiting for the barbarian to attempt his trial to get his legacy. He knows that he is dead. At the very least, he wanted to get a successor.
"If I can use the system, at the very least I will not get bored just sitting here," He mumbles. It is almost time for the trading session. However, he couldn't feel the system any longer.
"That is to be expected as a ghost. HAHAHAHA," Raikas laughs out loud. If he is alive, his loud voice will cause an avalanche.
In the chat group.
Hydra: Hey @TheDoctor, have you finished checking the inhuman transformation?
TheDoctor: Sorry, I am trying to fuse Asgardian DNA first. I haven't got the time.
Hydra: Don't worry about it.
Ryan sighs. He goes to have a personal chat with KickBaal. The name is grayed out but the people who had chatted with him before can still type their message.
Hydra: Hey you owe me a monster carcass, you bastard! I treated you to a 100-meter-long fish because you said you're going to find me magician tomes in your world! Where is my magic, you bastard!
He curses at the silent chat. He learns in therapy that he can at least get closure like this. While he was typing, he didn't realize something weird was happening.
The moment he pressed enter on the message, KickBaal's name flickers.
On Diablo mountain, KickBaal is snapped out of his serene state.
"This is?" He can feel a calling deep inside his soul. Something, someone is trying to connect with him.
It's like the system is confused. Is KickBaal state considered alive? Should it connect to him or not?
"Whoever it is, keep doing what you're doing!!" Raikas yelled to the sky. He can feel it. The connection is becoming stronger.
"HAHAHAHA, I HAVE A CHANCE!" He is excited. However, the channel is closing again.
"Don't stop now!" Raikas yelled. He is very anxious. He didn't wish to live again. He just wanted to chat with his friend.
He instinctively knew the importance of strengthening the channel. If the moment passed, then his warrior spirit state will be solid, and the connection will be lost, forever.
Ryan stopped chatting as someone mentioned him in the chat.
Mythic: @Hydra, like you said the material from the Jotunheim frost giant can be mixed with the fire lotus seed. I have created 3 frost and fire pills. I will send it to you soon.
Hydra: Thank you Mythic. Now, I am going back to curse KickBaal at the personal chat.
QueenElf: Why are you cursing him?
Hydra: I learned it in therapy. Not very important lol.
Ryan goes back to cursing at KickBaal. He is excitedly typing endless curse words.
"This is therapy," Ryan nods smugly. He is feeling better already.
"That's right, don't stop now!" Raikas is excited. The channel is getting stronger. However, it still isn't enough.
GreenWitch: I know what you're doing. It's to get closure right. I will join you. That bastard still owes me seeds from his world.
VampireKid: LoL, me too. I am joining too.
"HAHAHAHA, IT IS OPENING!" Raikas laughs. He can feel it. The system panel flickers in front of him. He couldn't touch it yet, but he can read it.
RedWidow: You guys, this is insensitive…
"No, keep cursing at me!" Raikas said as the channel opened, slowing down again.
QueenElf: After all this time that you know KickBaal, do you think he would mind it if someone curses him? I am joining. I have a lot to say to that bastard.
RedWidow: (sigh.gif) Well if you can't stop them then…join them…
Hydra: That's the spirit.
A lot of people are joining in. Mythic and TheDoctor didn't announce it, but they too are doing the same thing.
"Just a little more. A bit more." Raikas mutters in excitement as the trading panel is solidifying.
RetiredMechanic: Why are you cursing him in the private chat? Just curse him here.
Mephisto: I was just thinking the same thing. All of us are doing it, right?
The duo decided to make some trouble as they got bored cursing in the private chat. They know why people are saying it in private. It is to let the grief flow without them being judged.
Hydra: You guys can start then.
Mephisto: The mechanic will go first.
RetiredMechanic: (ReverseUnoCard.gif)
Mephisto: Dammit… @Hydra you go first.
While the guy is goofing off, they still keep chatting in private chat. Cursing to be exact. QueenElf has a lot to say to the man. She is crying while typing what she wanted to say. A feeling she wanted to confess.
QueenElf: You're my best friend in the world. I love you ya big oaf.
The last message makes the panel solidify. His finger shakes as he is putting it on the panel keyboard.
"I… can type…hahahahahahahahahahaha," He laughs for a long time.
Then, he types something in the group chat.
In the Marvel Universe, Ryan is holding a cup of coffee while waking up in his research lab. On his other hand is a stack of paper. A tireless calculation that he made for the inhuman gene.
His eyes widened as he read the latest message on the group chat.*clang* Ryan dropped his steaming cup of coffee on the floor. The glass shattered into pieces.
KickBaal: I am back. (Terminator.gif)
Two hours later. After the embarrassment passed.
Hydra: You're a ghost?
KickBaal: I think so?
Hydra: Why are you asking me back? You're the one who should know.
Mephisto: You only lost your physical body then? If you get it back wouldn't you be resurrected? Aren't there necromancers in your universe?
The group is busy asking questions to KickBaal. They only have an hour left until the chat group closes. They focus and listen to every aspect of KickBaal's story.
KickBaal: Barbarians have an insane magic immunity. The necromancer couldn't resurrect me. My soul is bound on Mount Arreat. Otherwise, I will already die. Take me off the bind, and I will disappear. I don't think I can be resurrected. The law of the sanctuary won't let me.
Mephisto and the others are thinking deeply. He then listed out his observations.
Mephisto: The law is only applicable to the warrior spirit. Are you a warrior spirit now?
KickBaal: I don't know. The system had messed up my state.
Mythic: Then maybe, we have a chance.
KickBaal: A chance for what?
Hydra: To bring you back to life.
The doctor can prepare a body for KickBaal. Mephisto can bind his soul back into the body. It is a very simple process if KickBaal is an ordinary man.
There is a big problem for them to do so. Barbarian magic immunity is almost impenetrable. The soul may reject the body if KickBaal uses an ordinary body.
RedWidow: We need to pay attention to the demon Baal. If he is resurrected, then Baal won't stay still.
TheDoctor: Luckily, I still have your DNA from before. I can just clone back your body. But it will be weaker than how you used to be.
KickBaal: All of them are good ideas. But you all forgot one important thing.
QueenElf: What?
KickBaal: I don't have any money.
…
The trading session is over. Ryan is thinking hard. They must be a way to bypass the system marketplace.
"None of us is high enough in the tier to access the lottery system. And only Mythic can give out a quest for KickBaal right now. There is a lot of stuff to be sent over. One chance isn't enough. "
He takes out a piece of paper and starts to draw a mind map.
" If magic doesn't work, then I need to create a device that can use esper energy. "
"RetiredMechanic said there is a life and death esper sisters he can ask for help. "
"Mephisto is looking into the soul stone of the diablo world. Maybe the soul stone of the infinity stone energy can help. The guy is now finding Adam Warlock who has the stone."
"I need to create a smart A.I. that can adapt to unexpected changes… it needed to be able to research the soul state too. Hmmm…"
There are a lot of things to do. He needs to finish it before the next trading session.
"Wait, why do we only use the ordinary body?" He takes a look at his Inhuman gene calculation and has a bright smile on his face.
There are a lot of genes he can use. The Asgardian, the Jotuns, the Kree, Demons, and more. Raikas's body already has the Nephilim bloodline, but it wouldn't hurt to add some stuff.
"And If the Barbarian Body is injected with a super-soldier serum. What will happen?"
A nightmare will happen. A nightmare for the demons on the diablo realms.
…
Two days later. Mythic is sending a quest to KickBaal.
Mythic: Just scream for a day. There isn't anything else you can do.
They are bypassing the quest condition with Ryan's invention. A blue cat robot that is standing upright and a pocket on its belly are sent out to Mythic. In its pocket hides a power that will make the people in the tier 5 marketplace fight to the death for it.
After Ryan talked about gene mixing, KickBaal is apprehensive at first. Barbarians pride themselves on being fully human. After a heated discussion, he decided on the Inhuman gene. At least that has part of a human.
On the snowy mountain of Mount Arreat. The other warrior spirit is closing their ears. The new warrior spirit is screaming non-stop for almost a day now. Bul Kathos, the leader of the Barbarians, decides to let the new warrior spirit calm down first before he goes and meets him.
The scream finally stopped.
"Luckily I am a ghost. Otherwise, I wouldn't succeed in it," The ghost of Raikas said.
He got the quest reward. A blue cat robot appeared in the snow…
"It's…cold…" The blue cat shivers.
"Do…Doraemon?" Raikas widened his eyes seeing the robot in front of him.
"That's me. I am Doraemon. Let me help you."
Ryan decided that if someone is in trouble, the best helper for them will be the bald cat in front of Raikas. The AI inside the robot can research on its own. Ryan rented Philip again to do this.
"Let's see what we can do…" Doraemon is rummaging inside the space pocket where Mythic stuff in all the necessary items for helping Raikas.
*Ti-di-di-ding* [SOUL ANALYSER…]
Doraemon takes out a rectangular device and puts it on the ground. It was made by RetiredMechanic to help analyze the condition of the soul.
"Analysis done. The soul is bound to the sanctuary. Will need the same type of energy to break the bond."
"Same type? Barbarian energy?" Raikas is confused.
"No-no, the world stone energy, " Doraemon is analyzing several aspects of the soul state and the world's energy. He takes out another item from his pocket.
*Ti-di-di-ding* [ Soul Stone Battery]
The battery holds the energy from the infinity stone of the Marvel Universe. Doraemon decided that magic won't work here. Especially in the mountain.
Doraemon is working hard for a few hours to set up the process for the resurrection. Then, he takes out the new body of Raikas. The moment the body is taken out, it causes an instantaneous reaction from the world inhabitant.
"I…am…shivering?" Archangel Tyriel said in a low voice. The peak of existence in the Diablo world feels unprecedented fear.
Baal sensed the breath of his hated enemy. "No…it can't be…"
In his fright, he decided to attack Harrogath town once more. This time, there is no one to stop him.
*Ti-di-di-ding* [Super-Inhuman Raikas]
The body is almost 3 meters tall. It is even bigger than Bul Khatos's body. Ryan already sent the supersoldier serum to TheDoctor, where he decided to inject it directly during the cloning process.
What the chat group member did not know is that the super-soldier serum had activated the Nephilim bloodline in Raikas' new body as the other universe didn't have a dampening rule of the bloodline. The bloodline already swallowed the inhuman bloodline. Raikas doesn't even need a terrigen crystal to activate his inhuman side.
Doraemon takes out a 4-meter tall device and puts it near the ghost. The ghost willingly walked to the middle of the platform where his new body is lying down.
"Hope this works," Doraemon said before he pulls the level.
*BOOM* A pillar of light illuminates the dark sky. It cuts through the miasma of the demon and makes the citizens of Harrogath see the moon. It's been a long time since they saw the moon or the sun.
"He is there. Kill him!" The demon Baal is anxious. However, he couldn't climb Mount Arreat. Not without the relic of the ancient.
The world stone shook. However, it soon calmed down as another energy soothes it. The soul stone energy is calming down the world stone.
The light soon dissipates. Raikas opened his eyes to a physical body again. He gripped his fist. A shockwave almost blew Doraemon away.
The robot staggered. Then, he said to Raikas. "How do you feel? Is there any discomfort?"
"No…I feel powerful…" Raikas said as he adjusted his new power. Then, he senses Baal's breath near him. He smiles as Baal's decision to come here is good for him.
His eyes glowed red. He started to levitate from the ground. Doraemon quickly runs away from the area.
*BOOM* Raikas flew into the air. A second later, he appeared in front of Baal.
"You…what are you?" Baal said in fear. Even though he is 15 meters tall, he feels small as he is started by the man in front of him.
"I am the Barbarian Raikas..." He announces himself. With just his voice, many of the demons fall.
"... And I am here to kick Baal's ass!"
…
The chat group member is anxiously waiting for the result. Then, KickBaal announces that he is back.
Ryan cheers inside his house. He goes and hugs Gwen and jumps all over the place.
"What is it? What???" Gwen is puzzled. What exactly happened? She has no clue what is going on.
"My friend is back. Hahaha," Ryan laughs. He turns to the system panel to join the group in celebrating.
"Ryan? What is it?" Gwen asks worriedly as Ryan suddenly froze.
"A…penalty?" Ryan is reading the notification on the trading site.
Author's Note: I had to cut the chapter into two parts as it is too long. after Ryan's reaction, There is Kai's meeting with Steve rogers lead him into buying the therapy knowledge. I cut that part out as I want to focus on the chat group effort first.
The system is not very advanced. That's why it has a management. Ryan and the others had broken the rule by sending the robot with all of the stuff to Raikas.