[Copy Module: When cast, this skill will copy a module of your choice. You start with two copy slots. You gain an additional slot every five levels. By level 50, you can copy Core Modules. For every 50 levels, you may choose out of the previous owners’ modules.]
[Choose 2 modules:]
- Enhance Weapon
- Mana Discharge
- Module Workbench
- Reinforce Weapon
- Metal Manipulation
- …
The list was endless. Blaze scrolled on and on and on but never reached the end. Blaze gaped.
“Ah, yes. My previous owners were all damn strong powerhouses. Alas, all of them perished.” Primus said wistfully. “Did you find Module Workbench on the list? You did? Good. Take it. It is almost as good as myself.”
“Why?” Blaze asked.
“Can’t you see that from its name? You can make your own modules if you have the mana aspects and dedication.” That was powerful. The power to make any skill for your needs was a life saver. Blaze instantly chose [Module Workbench].
[You have gained the Skill Module: Module Workbench. Do you wish to put it in your Primary Core (2 slots left) or your Secondary Core (20 slots left)]
Blaze chose Primary. From what he knew about Spirit Cores, his Primary Core would grow in due time. And the efficiency boost would be crucial. As for his second skill, after some thought, Blaze chose [Metal Manipulation]. It would be versatile and let him influence his enemies gear if they were made of metal. He put it in his secondary core and took a deep breath. He was going to become a cultivator. Blaze grinned. He wasn’t weak. He had power.
[Conditions met. Soul Module: The Fallen has received its Secondary Effect.]
Soul Module [The Fallen]:
Even the greatest hero falls from his former power and glory. But this fallen hero will prevail. He will show the world his true self.
Primary Effect: Cultivation takes 10 times as much essence as a normal being. System is locked until Core Module is unlocked.
Secondary Effect: You gain the skill [True Self].
This soul module expands at every bottleneck.
[True Self: By channeling mana into this skill, you can multiply your strength. By spending 50% of your maximum mana, you can activate your [True Form].]
Blaze’s grin widened. And he would carry that grin in most of his battles, as every battle would remind him of this day, the day he obtained power.
****
“Do you think I could jump out of here?” Blaze asked Primus. “I got a buffing skill from my soul module.”
“Wait, let me check… wait, WHAT THE FU…” Primus sweared. “You got this soul module?!”
“Is it good or bad?” Blaze asked, worried.
“Good?! You pass the level 100 bottleneck and you will be the best, that’s what!” Primus exclaimed.
“Really? Nice.” Blaze smiled and fished around in his pocket. Then, he pulled out a bronze coin. The money system had turned on its head after the integration. It was now bronze, 100 bronze to silver, 100 silver to gold, and 1000 gold to diamond. Bronze was the basic currency. And made out of metal. Blaze closed his eyes and felt for his [Metal Manipulation] skill. Blaze could sense the coin in his hand. Blaze could feel it. He commanded it to fly. And it did. It started levitating, though only an inch from Blaze’s hand. Blaze started to let the coin rotate around his hand, like a moon to earth.
“Not bad for your first attempt, I guess.” Primus told him. “But if you want to become one of the greats, you’ll have to be able to command mountains.” Blaze could do that. It was a matter of practice, after all.
****
Flashback
Blaze’s Soul Awakening
“Come on honey, what is it?” Arabelle asked her son. Every child got their soul module on their thirteenth birthday. It was meant to be the start of their journey into the system. Arabelle knew that and her second husband Henry knew it. But someone was clearly wrong. Blaze had been so excited, so very excited, but at this moment, he was quiet. His eyes darted around, clearly rereading the system message over and over. Finally, Blaze swiped his hand and stood up from the couch. Then, he ran away.
“Honey, where-” Arabelle didn’t finish her sentence as she saw what her son had revealed. His soul module made him unable to access the system except for his soul module screen. It… was unfair. The damn system had ruined her son’s dream, his ambition, his life. And Arabelle wouldn’t let Blaze endure it by himself. She followed him to his room to find him sitting on his bed, crying. She sat next to him and hugged him, letting him cry into her shoulder. The event today would break him, but he would stand back up. She knew it. Her son never gave up.
****
Blaze stood on his porch, staring at his door. Primus had stopped him from opening it. His reasoning:
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“How will you get good at your skill if you don’t actively train it? Use your [Metal Manipulation] to open the door. Don’t forget to close it as well.” So, Blaze had stood there, for an entire hour no less. But he managed it. With a click, the door unlocked. Entering his house, Blaze sighed and locked the door. It was easier than unlocking it, luckily.
“I’m home!” Blaze called into the living room, then went up the stairs to his room.
Primus had told him to not tell his family about today. “It might cause you and your family to get hurt. Many people would kill for me.”, he had said. So, Blaze stayed quiet. Blaze entered his room, locked his door, then jumped onto his bed. Then, he cast [Module Workbench]. In a flash, Blaze was gone. He now stood in a pitch black room, with the only furniture being a chair and a workbench. Blaze sat on the chair and looked around. The workbench had on one side vials of glowing liquid and sheets of parchment, while on the other side there was an empty space for work. Blaze picked up one of the vials, the one with orange liquid, and opened it. Instantly, a wave of heat blasted into Blaze’s face and he recoiled back.
“Fire mana, perfect for our first tests. Not for today, though.” Primus said. “Where is… ah, yes.” A screen appeared in front of Blaze, showing flows of blue light, mana. “We’ll start by copying a module. This is a body module to increase mana efficiency. Grab the plain bottle with blue liquid, ...
yes, that one. That’s basic, unaspected mana. Now, since you don’t have [Mana Manipulation] yet, just dunk your finger in. Now, trace these lines.” Another screen showed in front of Blaze, showing a web of lines in intricate patterns. At first, Blaze thought this would be a piece of cake. How wrong he was.
“Wrong, too much mana, … do you want your kidney to explode? … That will make your mana efficiency worse, don’t do that…” Primus scolded over and over. But in the end, Blaze managed to get the mana amounts and lines correctly.
[New module forged: Body module: Lesser Mana Efficiency]
Blaze groaned out of exhaustion and left his [Module Workbench] space. And Blaze was back on his bed. At 6 a.m. in the morning.
“What the hell!” Blaze exclaimed.
“Did you think time would stop for you? Get up, school time.” Primus told him.
****
There was a commotion in the school halls. Blaze pushed past the crowd of students to get to the front. It was James. He was pestering Elizabeth, the smart girl.
“What’s going on?” Blaze asked Mark. Mark winced.
“Well, James asked Elizabeth out and she refused. And you know James, he doesn’t take no for an answer.” Blaze groaned.
“Well, at least no one is getting hurt…” James kicked Elizabeth in the leg, making her fall to the ground.
“I don’t like you anyway! No one likes you.” James snarled at Elizabeth. “You’re useless.” Useless. That was what he always called Blaze. Blaze should have been happy that he was targeting someone else, but he only saw red.
“Shut up, James! It’s not like you have any friends either.” Blaze shot at James and stepped out of the crowd. Mark tried to pull him back with a frantic look in his eyes. But Blaze wouldn’t endure this any longer. He had suffered enough. Everyone had suffered enough.His title alone proved his suffering.
[Punching Bag: Get beaten up 100 times. Reward: +3 Endurance, +2 Vitality]
He had been beaten 100 times and more. Enough.
“What did you say?” James stared daggers at Blaze.
“No one likes you. They just fear you. But I don’t, James.” Blaze retorted. This was how he started most of his beatdowns. He never held back. James snarled and threw a fist at Blaze, his muscles expanding. There was only one problem. He was wearing a metal ring. James’ fist stopped an inch before Blaze’s face. James’s eyes went wide and tried to pull his arm back. It wouldn’t budge. Everyone started at 100 mana with every point in Intelligence adding another 10 mana. So, Blaze channeled 1 mana per second into his [True Self] and punched back. Veins of mana flowed all over his body as Blaze’s fist rammed into James’ stomach. And James got blasted away. He flew 20 feet before hitting the ground hard. The hallway became dead still. Everyone stared at Blaze in shock.
“That was stupid.” Primus told him. “You are putting yourself in danger.”
“People will think I got some strength enhancing skill, no big deal. Anyway, I can just wear a mask.” Blaze whispered.
“Y-you, how-, but…” James spluttered.
“You aren’t the strongest, James. Your father is level 15, big deal. So what? He’s nothing but a speck to the level 100s.” Blaze told him, then extended a hand to Elizabeth. She just stared at him with wide eyes. Blaze waved his hand. Finally, she grabbed it and got to her feet.
“How-, how did you do that?” She asked.
“I met a good friend.” That was his only answer.
“What’s going on here?” A sharp voice caught all their attention. The students parted a path for a big man in a formal suit and a necktie. The principal. A level 8.
“Blaze attacked me!” James accused. Blaze internally snorted. There was no way the principal would ignore the fact that James had beat him like 100 times…
“Blaze Harrow! You’re coming with me.” Blaze went blank for a moment. Was the principal dumb?
“Why? He beats me almost everyday! How is this fair!” Blaze complained.
“You don’t decide what is fair, Mr. Harrow.” The principal snarked. Blaze’s blood boiled. This was unfair! Blaze had suffered his entire life and when he finally retaliated, he got punished for it. Blaze wouldn’t stand for this. But before Blaze could retort, another voice called out.
“Now, now, Mr. Graud. Let’s just wait a moment.” Another man stepped out from behind the principal. He had sounded casual, friendly even, but his voice had a kind of pressure that made Blaze want to run, screaming. Some of the students did just that: They ran. This man was far over level 15.
“Now, from where Mr. Harrow and Mr. Dunglow is, it is obvious that Mr. Harrow hit Mr. Dunglow here so hard they flew at least 15 feet. Is that correct, Mr. Harrow?” Blaze just nodded.
“At level 1, this is quite the feat. Tell me, can you hit me at your full strength?” Blaze was shocked by the question.
“Sir, what are you saying?!” The principal exclaimed. The man shushed him.
“Can you punch me at your full strength, Mr. Harrow?” He asked again. Blaze gulped, then nodded. He started running towards the man.
“Use your skill, please. I said full…” The man couldn’t finish as Blaze hit him. At the last second, Blaze channeled 135 mana into his [True Self]. And that was him. Facing danger, facing the impossible. His fist met the man’s chest. A giant whirlwind exploded from the sheer power of the blow. Every student was blown off their feet. Even the principal stumbled. And the man moved an inch. However, the man stared at him in disbelief and excitement. Why excitement? But before Blaze could ponder on that question, the headache hit him. Blaze groaned and fell over, clutching his head.
[Your mana has been depleted.]
[Ben Sparrow has cast on you: Refill Mana]
[Your mana has been replenished!]
The headache stopped.
“A mana headache. Happens the first few times you run out of mana.” Primus told him. Ben Sparrow seemed ecstatic. “You’re perfect. Pushing someone so much higher than you back at level one, yes, you’ll be great.” Then, Ben turned to the gaping principal. “We don’t need to talk about the invitation to the academy anymore, Mr. Graud. I already got the perfect candidate.” Then, he turned back to Blaze with a serious look.
“Mr. Blaze Harrow, I, Ben Sparrow, hereby invite you to the Gemhart academy.”
“Accept. This is the best place for you to grow.” Primus told him. Blaze took a deep breath and slowly stood up.
“On two conditions.” Everyone gaped at him. Who would ask for more than to go to the best cultivator school ever to exist? Ben only laughed, however.
“What are they?” Ben asked.
“First, let me take two people with me, … uh, please.” Ben raised his eyebrows.
“Who?”
“Mark Topaz and Elizabeth Kane.” Mark looked shocked and excited while Elizabeth was just shocked. Ben frowned, his eyes reading over an invisible screen.
“Mark Topaz, skilled with a bow, has an archery soul module. Understandable, as you are friends with this kid. But if I may ask, why Elizabeth Kane? From what I see here, you have no kind of connection with this young lady.” Blaze got a wistful smile.
“When you get looked down on, you crave for power. I understand that and my friend understood it. He gave me an incredible gift. I wish to give someone else a gift of my own.” Ben nodded.
“That’s noble, young man. Yes, you may take them. And your second condition?” Blaze grinned.
“Let me fight you.” Ben stared at him in disbelief, then cackled. That surprised Blaze.
“Graduate the first grade and I’ll fight you every day.” Blaze was surprised but didn’t show it. He had promised himself to always smile at danger. He smiled.
“Then I don’t mind. I accept your invitation."