The Palace was Anubis's private realm, and all of its features, including the items within it, were under his authority as the Crown of the Vampire Lord. The Talent Scroll that he held could only be used with his permission as the owner. These conditions allowed for a bond to be established between the user or recipient and the owner.
"It's best not to waste time, wouldn't you agree, Anubis?" Lumine commented.
In response, Anubis threw the unrolled Talent Scroll in Soran's direction, causing him to scramble to catch the incredibly valuable item.
Jumping at the right moment, Soran caught the scroll, trembling. "Whoa, whoa, be careful. This item may never exist in the world except for this one," he cautioned before opening it with both hands.
The contents of the scroll appeared no different from what he had previously seen, aside from the distinction between viewing it vertically or horizontally. Its contents remained beyond Soran's comprehension, but surprisingly, he heard Anubis chant a mantra in front of him.
Before he could confirm what Anubis had been chanting, an aura of black energy erupted from Soran's entire body, pulsing like flames but devoid of heat.
—
*Ping!*
[!] System Alert: Accept the offer to use: [Mythic] Talent Scroll: "Yami no Kenshi"?
▹ [Accept]
[Reject]
↪ Accepting the offer will incur a debt of gratitude to Anubis, the Crown of the Vampire Lord, and you will be required to swear loyalty to serve.
↪ Accepting the offer will bestow upon you all of the skills listed in the Talent Scroll: "Yami no Kenshi"
↪ Accepting the offer will grant you the title of Yami no Kenshi [(See the list of effects)*]
↪ Accepting the offer will also grant you the title of First Follower [Effect: Basic Attribute Status+2*]
—
There is a brief pause before Soran makes his decision; stemming from the weight of his responsibilities and the pressing task ahead. Since his first death experience, Soran had become accustomed to prioritizing what needed to be done over his own desires. This time, facing the celestials for the second chance, he couldn't afford to fail.
—
*Ping!*
[!] System Alert: A Bond Has Been Formed: Soran has become the First Follower!
[Authority Exp+1%]
[The Palace Exp+50%]
—
As a dark aura momentarily enveloped Soran, a whirlwind-like sensation rippled through the air, catching the attention of those present. However, the effect quickly subsided, and the Treasure Chamber returned to its usual tranquility.
"Did you gain anything, Anubis? Perhaps a clearer clue?" Lumine inquired.
"Just a regular reward, nothing special. Although I gained one percent Authority Experience, which is a significant increase compared to the usual zero-point-zero-zero I get from killing NPCs."
Although seemingly insignificant, acquiring Soran as a follower granted Anubis more Authority Experience than slaying a hundred weak NPCs. It remained to be seen whether this experience gain would scale when dealing with stronger enemies, but it was a consideration for Anubis nonetheless.
Meanwhile, Soran remained engrossed in examining the numerous items he had received.
"For now, this should suffice. I can initiate reconnaissance of the developer's datasource and gather the necessary information," Lumine stated.
"How long will the process take?" Anubis inquired.
Lumine paused, lost in deep thought, before responding, "I'm uncertain, but it might take a few days. With your authority level at zero, I'll need to conceal myself within the data, which requires time. I must familiarize myself with the algorithms governing data flow before—"
"That's enough," Anubis interjected, satisfied with Lumine's thorough yet lengthy explanation. "Can I entrust something to you? There's something I wish to investigate... specifically, information about the nearest Initial Town, Eldoria."
The spiral sphere blinked, anticipating Anubis's detailed request, but none came. "Is that all? Don't you have any specific instructions for me?"
"In specific... wouldn't that strain your performance since you have to delve deep into the datasource? Whatever form the information takes, as long as it provides knowledge, the rest can be pieced together as a puzzle."
A moment of silence enveloped both, each awaiting a response until the Lumine finally spoke. "If that's the case, I will now go offline. This process cannot be interrupted until I've completed my task and can return online. During this time, I implore you... please take care of this troubled man—"
Gradually, Lumine's voice faded away, and even the physical form of the spiral sphere that had perched on Soran's shoulder vanished. Yet, Soran remained absorbed in the floating windows, containing a myriad of new information, diverting his attention from the ongoing conversation.
Soran was so engrossed in his floating windows that he didn't notice Valeria behind him, observing his actions. Her flat but sharp rebuke jolted him back to reality. "Can't you do that later when everything's finished?" she scolded him.
Startled, Soran's floating windows vanished. "Ah, damn... I got carried away with my old enthusiasm again... my bad," he apologized. Looking back at his past, when he was just a regular person and a fervent fan of the fantasy world, his enthusiasm was actually excessive.
On the other hand, Anubis viewed Soran's zeal as a strength. He possessed the spirit and capacity to learn and adapt, traits crucial for survival in this world. Knowledge and power, while imperative, must be balanced, or else their misuse would lead to a downfall.
Although Soran possessed all the skills in the Talent Scroll, it did not grant him the freedom to use them casually. As a samurai class, he had significant weaknesses in terms of MP capacity, defense, and magic resistance, making him highly vulnerable to damage. So, before mastering his abilities as Yami no Kenshi, Soran had to overcome his weaknesses.
"Find a suitable weapon for yourself, Soran," Anubis advised, walking away. "The Talent Scroll may be excellent, but many vital abilities lie beyond it." As he spoke, Anubis hurled an object towards Soran, repeating the action for the second time.
Soran witnessed two small objects being thrown towards him. Instinctively, he opened both his hands and jumped around, eagerly trying to determine the direction in which the objects would fall, hoping to catch them. "Whoa, hey... I've told you not to casually throw valuable things at me like that!"