Ascension: Online

"Worry not. Human here has a plan," Aisa said, faced with Hina-nee's question.

'Human here'… naturally, she was referring to me.

I sighed. "You know, it would make things a lot easier if you could just turn back to your normal self. You know, the AI form."

"Unfortunately, my powers are currently restricted by the Creator's Shadow supervising me," she replied stoically. "If I were to return to my original form, I would be unable to keep assisting you."

"Right…" I muttered, taking a deep breath.

"What plan?" Furuwa asked, confused.

"Ah… I see," Hina-nee smiled, having understood.

"Hehehe~" Nadeshiko giggled, also realizing what I was trying to do. "Kaze plans on using the wish he was granted to bring Aisa into the sect as well, you see. Am I right~?"

I nodded as Furuwa fell into thought.

"Oh… not a bad plan."

"Anyway… the sun's already set," I said, wrapping up both the conclusion and the training excursion. "We should head back and get some rest."

*****

After spending the SP and AP we all received from our respective level-ups, we began getting ready for sleep. Overall, it could be said that we all grew a lot stronger throughout the past week — for instance, my stats were now like this:

[Level: 35]

[STR: 330]

[AGI: 340]

[INT: 210]

[DEX: 200]

[MAG: 230]

[LUC: 30]

STR, AGI, and INT were all passive level-ups. The reason I got such a big boost in my INT was probably because of all the strategies and psychological ploys I used recently, from baiting Nadeshiko into telling me about her past to turning the tables on Song Qing Long and converting him into one of my pawns as well.

To be manipulated or become the manipulator… such was a simple game of finding the other's weakness before they found yours. In the case of both sides finding each other's weak points, it came down to a matter of bluffing and lies.

Grandmaster Song had undoubtedly used Soul Search on me, but after reading through the art's description on the scroll, I discovered that said art only provided a profile of whoever it is used on, giving mostly useless information such as hobbies, likes and dislikes, et cetera.

Maybe a boy could use this on a girl before a date to find out what she liked, but apart from that… there was really only one way this art was useful: bait.

This meant Song Qing Long could use it as a bluff at best, making the other party think he really knew everything about them when he really didn't. Of course, I saw straight through that since I have nothing to hide anyway.

Even if he did want to tell the whole world that I was a victim of bullying in the past, then so be it. I've done nothing wrong — in fact, doing so may cause people to feel pity towards me, thus offering me free benefits.

Won't say no to that, obviously.

I ended up dividing my 30 SP up, 20 for DEX, 10 for MAG, to make them what they were on top of passive leveling as well.

And as for my LUC stat… it went down from 67 to 30. The reason for this was obviously the finals of the tournament, where my luck had been afflicted greatly by Ling Tian Yu's Book of Fortune. Curse you, bastard, pissing me off from beyond the grave.

Speaking of… his Book of Fortune should probably be in a black orb in my inventory, right? Just like that time I killed that woman…

I decided to check the Inventory tab of my System just to be sure, and indeed, there it was, labeled [Ling Tian Yu Engram]. The other one I had obtained from killing that woman was labeled [??? Engram] in comparison. I guess it was because I didn't know her name.

But in any case, heh… if I can just find a cryptanalyst to open those two orbs…

I was setting off for the Blessing Nature Sect in just nine hours. I didn't believe we wouldn't be able to find a cryptanalyst on the way, or — better yet — at the sect itself, being one of the Eight Great Sects of Azrine.

I decided to head off to sleep, the girls doing the same. We had a long day ahead of us tomorrow, after all.

For the record… the girls' stats looked like this, with their new passive stat increase abilities just like mine:

Hina-nee:

[Level: 34]

[STR: 150]

[AGI: 150]

[INT: 30]

[DEX: 125]

[MAG: 10]

[LUC: 0] (*decreased due to the fight with Ling Tian Yu)

Furuwa, who had used all her SP evenly (5 each), only to have the perfectly balanced stats ruined by her newfound passive stat change ability:

[Level: 34]

[STR: 80]

[AGI: 75]

[INT: 65]

[DEX: 70]

[MAG: 70]

[LUC: 55]

Nadeshiko, with her 15 point increase to all stats provided by reaching the Core Foundation Realm in addition to her passive stat leveling skill, and of course the 20 SP she gained from reaching Level 50 which she spent evenly across STR, AGI, INT, and DEX:

[Level: 50]

[STR: 200]

[AGI: 270]

[INT: 70]

[DEX: 180]

[MAG: 25]

[LUC: 25]

The four of us have gotten quite a bit stronger from when we first met, and will continue to do so in the future.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of a new journey — one where bonds will be tested and friendships trialed.

I wonder… with this unusual group of misfits, gathered together by a wicked twist of fate, how far could we go?

I looked forward to the answer.

*****

The next morning, when we woke up, it was already 7. Only an hour until the time we were supposed to meet at the center of the city and begin our excursion for the Blessing Nature Sect.

Not wasting any time, the four of us all got ready on our own and rendezvoused at the front of the inn. Once we gathered, we set off for the center of Qilian City together.

"Hey, hey~ I unlocked something pretty cool yesterday, Kaze~" Nadeshiko said, tugging on my arm and looking up into my eyes like an excited little puppy.

I raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"It's something called a 'Social System'," she replied, opening up her System to show me better. "See here~ you can add friends and even send messages, do trading, and other stuff with them…"

"Huh… trading and messages, eh?" I murmured, sinking into thought as I looked at the new tab that had appeared on the navigation bar of her System. It was an icon with two people side by side. "That's interesting… connections are important."

Furuwa scoffed. "You say that, but are you truly capable of making friends?"

"Hehe, it doesn't matter if Kaze can't make friends… the only one he needs, is… me~" Nadeshiko grinned, closing her System and licking her lips as she suddenly stopped walking and threw her arms around my neck.

"Na-de-shi-ko!" Hina-nee yelled, frustrated, as I quickly pried her hands off of me. "You are stepping OVER the line!"

"Hehehe, yes, yes…" she waved off Hina-nee's protests as if they were irrelevant to her, and kept walking nonchalantly.

I sighed and faced the front once again with an awkward grimace on my face.

Nadeshiko… I've said it before and I'll say it again: you're truly a troublesome one.

*****

"Everyone's here, it seems," Elder Han, the short yet elder chuckled, smiling happily. "One, two, three, four, five, and… six. Yep, there we go."

"Very well," Elder Ning stepped forward from her throne on the stage and lifted up her megaphone. "All newly acknowledged disciples of the Blessing Nature Sect from yesterday: please step onto the stage. We will be leaving shortly."

The four girls and I, Aisa included, headed onto the stage. Koroth and Ming Yi followed.

"Oh…? Who is this little girl?" Elder Zhang, the young man with glasses, eyed Aisa.

"She is my little sister," I replied, having rehearsed this already. My demeanor was flawless; no one could tell I was lying… unless, of course, they could read my mind, which wasn't impossible, but I had no countermeasures against that just yet, quite regrettably.

"And? You plan on bringing her with you into the sect?" Elder Han asked, raising an eyebrow as he folded his arms.

"Is that not allowed?" I asked, just to be safe.

"Naturally not," Elder Zhang interrupted. "She is but a little child. We cannot accept her into the sect, made for serious training and cultivation."

I secretly grinned. "I see… in that case, I would like to use my wish."

Elder Han's eyes widened. "You would use your one and only wish on… bringing your little sibling into the sect with you?"

Elder Zhang narrowed his eyes and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I suggest you think carefully, young man. You can wish for anything — money, fame, women, cultivation resources, anything. Are you certain you wish to choose this?"

Without even blinking, I replied instantly. "Yes."

"You see… we are orphans," Hina-nee interjected, also rehearsed beforehand. "Both Kaze-kun and I are entering the sect, so that would leave Aisa-chan without anyone to take care of her…"

As if on cue, Aisa made tears appear in her eyes and hugged me closely, hiding behind my body.

Once again, rehearsed. No way in hell Aisa would drop tears of her own accord; I'm 200% certain on that.

Elder Zhang sighed. "I understand… if that is truly what you wish for, then so be it. I admire your prioritizing of family over individual benefits."

Elder Han laughed. "Haha! Seems we have a couple of good seeds in this year's batch, eh? Even though… he can be quite ruthless."

He smiled mysteriously at me, as if staring into my soul. It made me feel uncomfortable with a hint of being threatened, but I did not let that show on the surface.

"Elder Ning, this is fine, correct?" Elder Zhang asked, turning to the leader of the three.

However, said leader seemed to be too busy staring at me.

"…"

"…" I awkwardly averted my gaze, unsure of what to do.

"Elder Ning…?"

The elf quickly shook her head at being called out a second time. "A-Ah, yes. Forgive me. Of course, this is allowed. Doing so is well within the power of the sect, and he did use his promised wish on this. We have no right to refuse."

Then, turning to me, she continued.

"Your little sister shall be giving living quarters and such within the sect, and treated like an honorable guest. You will also be able to visit her in your free time, as long as it does not interfere with your cultivation. Professional maids will be sent to take care of her, so rest assured, she will suffer no danger."

I smiled. "I see. In that case… I can rest easy."