Year: Zero
Day: Sixty-two since the First Emergence
Event: Emergence
A grotesque mass of black flesh descended on the southern continent. The flesh coalesced into a black sphere. It released an energy, one different from the life force living beings possessed but eerily similar to the first foreign energy(mana) that had spread across Murim, during the First Emergence
The wavelengths of both energies are similar. It has completely spread throughout Murim. The energy has begun influencing small-scale organisms.
Day: Ninety-five since the First Emergence
Event: Emergence
Three days ago, the mass of black flesh triggered an explosion that spread about 5.4 kilometres killing the first expedition team.
Another black sphere has formed yet again in the southern continent, four kilometres away from the original site.
Day: Ninety-seven since the First Emergence
Event: Emergence
Dr Peter Ambrocius has named the foreign energy after the leader of the first expedition, Sword Saint Michael Eonarion, to honour his sacrifice.
Day: Hundred since the First Emergence
Event: Emergence
Phase two: Sunyata Gates
Dr. Peter Ambrocius has found the wavelengths similar to a dimension window from the black spheres.
Dr. Ambrocius has named the window Sunyata(void) Gates.
Name: Sunyata Gates
Day: Five hundred since the First Emergence
Event: Emergence
Phase four: Seventh Sunyata Gate cleared
The fourth expedition team returned
Status: Alive, but suffering side effects of long-term exposure inside a gate
Condition: Severe nausea and vomiting black blood
Cause: Eonweave
****
"Sepulcher: Close." The gate behind Jack closed as it hummed.
"That was a good bath. A quick question, was that a sixth-star barrier? It seemed almost as if it was seventh or maybe higher." Finn enquired.
"That was an unconquered gate, I just changed its source code to one of my sixth-star barriers and to my surprise it worked. Now I can open the gate and use it as storage, a bath or even a home if it ever gets too cold here." Jack replied with a smile.
'Strange, I didn't know Gates had a changeable source code, somehow he did it. You can't do it with just talent, it involves true understanding.' Finn thought, watching Jack.
Jack's hazel eyes met as he handed Finn his clothes, "Here, I dried your clothes."
Finn accepts the clothes and starts to change into them, yet his mind was elsewhere, 'That tattoo, I've seen it somewhere, should I ask him? It's alright he's a softie, he'll probably tell me.'
"Mister, what is that tattoo?" said Finn as he pointed to a tattoo on Jack's left shoulder delts, visible, now that he was shirtless. It was a cranium with two roses on both sides, standing out, almost rejecting Jack's pale skin.
"This is the insignia of my old knight order, 'The Roshfield Knights'," spoke Jack, his chest swelling with pride.
"Woah! You mean the border knights, the ones who kill all the Eonborn?" Finn asked, enthusiasm visible in his voice.
"Yes, hey at least one person knows of my knight order. Hmm, should I wear the black or the white?" Jack nodded as he raised two shirts, each on his hands.
"The white", Finn replied, "it suits you a bit better."
"Is that so? I always thought black went better with me."
"Uhh, Jack? It seems something strange is happening, and I think I can manifest in my astral form," the voice spoke, but the sound came not from inside Jack's head but from his left.
Surprised to hear the sound coming from outside, Jack turned to his left, only to be left speechless. A figure floated in the air beside him, its appearance grand and majestic, draped in a long, flowing red dress that shimmered with silver and gold embroidery. The entity's deep, short blood-red hair kempt back, a small patch left in the front, matching the regal dress, while a decorative belt and a rope design hung at its waist, along with a white trouser and a black shoe with a white sole.
"Huh, why are you out of my body, and what's with the grand appearance and my face?" Jack asked, still trying to process the being in front of him.
The entity, which bore Jack's face and his exact appearance, looked down at itself and then back at Jack with a hint of amusement. The deep red rose earrings in both ears gleamed, their golden and silver petals cascading in an elegant, asymmetrical design.
"Your guess is as good as mine," the entity replied, floating effortlessly beside Jack, its presence slightly unsettling.
'What's with this dirty feeling? It's suffocating me, is that some ghost?' Finn thought while breathing heavily, the air suffocating from its aura.
"Mister, what is that? I can feel a lot of malignant energy coming from that." Finn asked, his face slightly twitching with unease.
"Oh, you can see him? That's a surprise. Hmm, hey why can the boy see you sage, and why do you look like me?" Jack asked curiously.
"Please call me Count. From what I can gather, it seems I became your spirit familiar, as for the face, I like this much better than my own." The Count replied while staring at a mirror with no reflection back.
"Please change it, you don't move or talk like me, it is quite cranky", Jack replied, embarrassed.
"No, I will not change it." The count spoke, adamant of his choice. "What's with the boy? He looks like he's having a hard time." The count gestured towards Finn, who was on the ground gasping for air.
"Tone down your aura, it's suffocating him. Hmm, since you're my spirit familiar do I get access to your otherworldly techniques," Jack asked curiously.
The count gives a slight nod before closing his eyes for a second, the air getting lighter. Finn stood up back on his two feet, taking a second to catch his breath. 'What's with the presence, it's a lot stronger. I think it's a cursed spirit rather than a normal spirit, and the way they're talking, it seems he knows the spirit.'
"You should be able to, although the energy is different the output shouldn't diverge much from the original principles. Why don't you try using one of the techniques?" The count asked.
"I don't want to blow up my house, I only have one of these."
"Is that your con—Oh! Jack, it seems you have quite a few visitors." The count suddenly remarked, his tone shifting.
----
Meanwhile elsewhere, a few moments ago...
"Daniela, why would you recommend that man? Nexarion isn't a place where I can't just hire a riff-raff on the whim of a seventeen-year-old." The principal retorted, losing the earlier joyous tone.
"That's going too far, Shia." Thomas interjected, "But what Mrs. Shia said isn't wrong. He was convicted of having stolen his brother's research and failed to complete it as well. A professor at Nexarion has to be better than that."
"You people believe that? Besides, I think his feats and talent should speak for him. Surviving the absolute demonic battlefront for nine years is no mere fluke now, is it? Besides he is the only one who can open the Mana Sealix and activate the Mana Syndex for you." Daniela spoke in a no-nonsense attitude.
"But the evidence supports his brother, doesn't it? And I can't have such a person join Nexarion. And how do you propose he open something even the kingdom's best architects couldn't get to budge."
'How do I convince these relics?' Daniela thought to herself.
"Why don't you guys just go meet him?" Gabriel spoke in a small voice, which did not go unnoticed.
"That's a good idea but I don't know where—"
"South of Citrina City," Before the principal could complete her sentence, Daniela interjected.
"Oh! Is that so, it seems like you had your eyes on him for some time, but I'm sure this trip is a waste of time." The principal said, "Ready the teleportation gate to Citrina City."
'Oh my god, not the teleportation gate again, at least I got them to meet him. Now all that's left is for him to play his part. Is the principal going to test him? I remember he used some different magic. Now I'm excited.'
"Nexarion receiver gate preparation complete. Initiate teleportation in four, three, two, one..."
...
"Teleportation complete, result: successful."
BLEH
"Oh! I didn't know that Mrs Daniela wasn't accustomed to teleportation." Mrs Han Shia commented.
"It's alright I'm good."
----
"Why do you mean visitors?" Jack enquired.
"Exactly what I mean. They're here for you I guess, I can sense two big energy signatures, a sixth-star martial artist and a, oh a seventh-star mage. They're walking here. They'll reach in about five minutes."
"Finn, are you alright? It seems we have a few visitors. Why don't we go greet them?"
"Yes, but you owe me an explanation about that thing, Mister."
Jack smiled and gave Finn a silent nod, an assurance that he would explain.
Jack then walks to the door and pushes it open, walking outside with Finn right behind him.
A silhouette of five could be seen from afar. Within a few seconds, they got close to Jack's cabin. Jack walks towards the gate, opens it and continues with Finn trailing behind him. After a second they meet.
Jack quickly notices the uniform of the woman in the front, a midnight blue suit and silver tie and the academy's insignia.
'Strange, isn't that the second princess and the third prince and Mrs Han Shia' Finn thought. 'Why are big figures here, especially that knight? He must be here to protect the prince and princess, but why has she dyed her hair black? Is she giving up succession, she never gave up succession in my past life.'
Finn quickly whispered to Jack, "Mister she's the principal of Nexarion."
"Oh! Why would she be coming, I haven't offended anyone. I heard she's crazy for magic, is that why she's here?"
"I don't think that's the reason, I believe there is something more to it and look it's the third prince, he has blonde hair, so it's him and the big man looks like a knight." Finn voiced his observation.
...
The group finally reaches Jack, his eyes switching around each person.
"My name is Han Shia," the woman in the middle spoke, extending her arms towards Jack for a handshake, "Mr Jonathan, I am here on behalf of Nexarion to offer you an opportunity, a golden one if you may, just a small test to see if you can satisfy me. In that event, I will let you become a teacher at Nexarion."
ERROR
The sudden pop-up alarmed Daniela, 'Huh, why is the system acting up?'
ORIGINAL SCENARIO FAILED
REVISING SCENARIO
CHANGING NARRATIVE
NEW SCENARIO FORMED
VOLUME - 1
NEW ORIGINS
GOAL: UNKNOWN
'What the hell is this thing?' Finn looked at the glowing screen in front of him, alarmed.
'Huh, what's this, a system? And one that can interfere with fate?' The count thought to himself after seeing the glowing screen shimmer in front of him.
****