"Want to get stronger?"
A shadow draped over Akai.A black aura twisted into a colossal serpent, its scales pulsating with light. But the serpent wasn't purely reptilian. Its upper body evolved into a knight clad in obsidian armor, helm sealed shut behind a visor glowing with purple fire. He wrapped himself around Akai, like an ancestral curse or an ancient prophecy.
His mouth hovered close to Akai's ear. His tone? Equal parts threat and seductive whisper.
"So this… is your physical form, Kwame," Akai muttered, half-impressed and half-concerned.
"Mmm. Half of it. You couldn't handle the full one yet, not with that jelly-bean-level Reishi. Now, what should we fix first?"
"Fix? I'm doing okay for a guy who soloed half a dungeon and lived," Akai argued.
"Firstly: your face. Secondly: intelligence. Though usually I recommend starting there first, in your case…" Kwame trailed off dramatically. "...I'll choose silence."
"Bro, what are you trying to say? I'm decently good-looking!"
Inside the visor, Kwame may or may not have lifted a judging eyebrow.
Just then, a palace maid walked in with a tray of food and, after glancing at Akai's disheveled self, grimaced with open disgust.
"I can't. It's inevitable." She muttered under her breath, placing the tray.
Akai's jaw dropped.Eyes wide. Ego punctured. Confidence KO'd in Round 1.He turned toward Kwame in horror.
"Don't panic. No one can see or hear me except you. You don't even need to speak. I can hear your thoughts. Cause I'm inside you."
"…Thanks for the late update, demon Alexa." Akai muttered, locking the door.
Kwame started explaining.
"You're currently at Level 1. Fifteen levels in total. As you progress, your Emblems, Skills, and Equipment evolve. You get active and passive skills. You'll need raids for skills, shops for equipment, and brain cells for survival."
He took a bite of chicken.
"How the hell do you guys have chicken in the ocean?"
"The Royal family ordered chefs from the surface. They fed them sea-herbs to breathe underwater. It's… complicated.",Akai replied.
"Seaweed Gordon Ramsays. Got it."
Then, Kwame's voice turned serious.
"Your transformation begins now. By tomorrow, you'll be unrecognizable. Your face will be replaced by Rico Quan—the most attractive man from 400 BC. His mere existence ended marriages."
"You'll gain the strength of Herman Garko, who tanked an entire Terracotta army—alone. And your intelligence?"He paused for effect."Robert Oscar. The man who could win chess by moving only knights."
Akai's eyes lit up like Christmas in Atlantis.
"How do I start?"
"Welcome Bonus: 1000 Gold. Shop's open. Choose wisely.",Kwame suggested.
A holographic interface floated in front of Akai, glowing runes forming the letters:
[SYSTEM SHOP]
Top Recommendation:TOME OF YESTERDAYActive:
*Roam 15 mins into the past of any person.
*Pause time for 5 mins (past/present).
Passive:
*Slows sense of time by 12%.
Other cheaper options blinked temptingly:
*DIRE HIT (Critical multiplier)
*GODSPEED BOOT (Flash Step passive)
*GAUNTLET OF HERCULES (Strength boost)
*APPLE OF NEWTON (Defies physics)
Akai grinned, eyes twitching.
"TOME OF YESTERDAY is made for me. I wanna learn about the losers I'm fighting in the Tournament of the Wicked. Plus...I will get inside of—"Paused for a moment."—I mean, insight of Empress.—"
His grin turned demonic.
Kwame was silent for a moment."That… that was terrifying. Even for me."
"Anything else I need to know?" Akai asked, leaning forward.
"Yes. Emblems. Choose one: Assassin, Tank, Mage, or Fighter. Your skills, missions, and stats will shape around that class. you can change them during battle too"
"Fighter. Fast, aggressive, dominant. Like me in bed, theoretically.",Akai interrupted.
Kwame ignored him and continued.
"One more thing. Because of the Sacred Serpent's residue, you can take on the appearance of anyone it's killed for as long as you like. But be warned—transforming into other forms drains time. You'll only get 47 minutes per day of disguise."
"So… I have to pretend nothing changed in my real life? Cool. No big deal."
He clapped his hands.
"Now! Let's go seduce the Empress. Time Freeze!"
SMASH!
Akai charged barefoot through the palace hallway, wearing nothing but pajamas and ambition.
He was a streak of nonsense energy. Nothing could stop him—
Except the royal guards, who caught him mid-sprint.
And in front of him, bathed in moonlight, stood the Empress.
The whole palace stared at him in horror.
And his boner.
"BRO. YOU DIDN'T EVEN BUY THE EQUIPMENT!" Kwame screamed, horrified.
Akai looked down. Looked up.
"...Fuck me."
He wasn't executed.Apparently, having slept in the apartment of the late Royal Cousin bought him some forgiveness.
But his punishment?
Downgraded apartment.
Two floors beneath the Empress now.
Public humiliation archived eternally on OceanNet.
Talking about his Aura? It just went down to zero!
Chapter 4: Aura Farming