Immediately after Jack's mental call, an interface materialized before him, displaying:
[Name: Alex Eswald
Age: 60
Strength: 10
Agility: 20
Stamina: 15
Defense: 10
Mana points:5
Abilities: Soul Linkage
Harem:---
Soul Points: 0]
Jack recognized the power 'Soul Linkage' as the one Alex had used to bind their two souls. As far as he knew, this ability allowed the user to link their soul with that of another person.
The artifact's role had been to amplify the potency of this power. While it may seem like the artifact hadn't played a significant role, the truth was quite the opposite. In the world of Valeria, there were various methods to enhance one's strength, but most of them were temporary or offered only modest improvements.
However, the artifact Alex had found granted him not only permanent empowerment but also the ability to track his evolution and selectively augment specific aspects of his power.
It was precisely due to the artifact's augmentation of 'Soul Linkage' that Alex could reach out to Jack's spirit in his final moments, even though Jack hailed from another world entirely.
Jack refocused his attention on the floating screen before him and wondered, 'What are 'Soul Points'?'
As if in response to his question, the floating interface transformed, and Jack read:
[Soul Points are points that allow the development of a particular skill. They also enable the replication of a power from a person with whom you have engaged in intimate relations.]
Jack understood, but then another question arose, 'How do I obtain these points?'
Once again, the floating display transformed its characters, and Jack read:
[To acquire Soul Points, you must engage in sexual relations. The stronger the woman, the more points you will gain.]
It became evident to Jack why he needed to have relationships with multiple powerful women and why their strength was a crucial factor.
As Jack contemplated his Mana Points, he recalled that Mana was the energy used to cast spells, attack, or even defend oneself in this world. Looking at his low Mana stat, he couldn't help but wonder, "Am I just weak, or am I extremely weak?"
As Jack pondered over the interface and absorbed the information, his attention was drawn to the term "harem." It wasn't the concept of having a harem that intrigued him; he understood that he needed one to fulfill the conditions set by Alex. What puzzled him was that there were no names listed beside "harem." Considering that the system seemed to respond to his questions, he thought, 'Why are there no names here when I already have a woman? Following this logic, why do I have 0 Soul Points?'
The characters on the floating screen changed once again:
[Relationships and encounters before the activation of the system are not accounted for.]
"I see," Jack replied with a tinge of disappointment. He had hoped to start with some Soul Points to experience the system's effects of enhancing his abilities, but unfortunately, it was not possible.
With nothing else to explore for now, Jack decided to dismiss the system's interface. As if by magic, the screen vanished from his sight.
After the interface disappeared, Jack looked around the unfamiliar surroundings, wondering where he was. He walked in a random direction, hoping to find distinctive signs that would help him identify the forest.
The moonlight filtered through the dense foliage above, casting eerie shadows on the forest floor.
Minutes turned into hours as Jack explored the forest, searching for any indication of his location.
As he was busy searching for the exit of the forest, he stumbled upon a small pond of water, he decided to wash himself and remove all the blood that was on him.
After he finished washing he put back his blood stained clothes and resumed his search.
Minutes turned into hours as Jack explored the forest, before finally finding an exit to the forest and wasted no time in stepping out. As he emerged from the dense foliage, he turned back to gaze at the eerie forest and couldn't help but feel a surge of anger towards Felix.
"That bastard killed me and dumped me in this forest without even bothering to give me a proper burial. Well, brace yourself, you bastard, I'm coming for you, and this same forest will be your final resting place," he thought fiercely.
It was strange how easily Jack had slipped into the role of Alex. There were no discrepancies or odd feelings when he pretended to be him; it felt natural, as if he truly had become Alex. He attributed this phenomenon to the fusion of their souls during the Soul Linkage.
Once outside the forest, Jack realized where he was and the location of his own house. The forest was not far from his home. With determination in his heart, he set off towards his house, thinking:
'it's time to start earning Soul Points.'