44 43.
I returned to the manor to inform Wilhelm that I will go on a special training up in the mountains west of the Blackwood Estate and return before the exam.
Wilhelm wanted to follow me but I declined his offer. Wilhelm insisted but I just shook my head. I went to the academy to tell Desir's party that I won't be around for quite a while and informed them that if they need anything, let Wilhelm know.
Now that I finished the things that needs to be done, I returned to Blackwood Estate and I packed my bag with provisions, strapped my sword into my waist and grabbed my spear. I left Blackwood Estate incognito. My clothes are easy to move to since I'm going up the mountain. I needed a place devoid of people since I don't know what will be the effects of the skill after I used it.
Constantly using <8 steps> I worked my way to the mountains and find a spot where I can take refuge. I may have been a pampered Duke right now but in the past run, the first thing I learned after roaming around the Shadow World is how to survive in the wilderness. You never know which part of the history will you arrive to. You could be sent into a dessert without food and water, or in a forest filled with predators. If you're lucky, you'll spawn in a village or any human settlement.
It was one of the most gruelling experience. The feeling of not being able to scour for food while being surrounded by predators.
After finding a small cave to take refuge, I used a spell to light a campfire. My journey from the Blackwood Estate to this unknown mountain took me 3 days with me constantly on the move.
Opening a pack of my provision, I took a bite of a hard preserved meat.
"Ah, this brings back memories." I said to myself remembering the hard meat that I commonly ate in the past run's shadow world.
With my stomach full, I deeply breathed and casted the skill <Shadow Path>. It was an instinctive use since I don't know how it works. The time slowed down for me as the world slowly turned gray.
"Are you sure that its time to use it now?" A voice said to me.
"Yes, Lucifer. I think its time for me to use it. I should be able to run away even if I get sent into a hopeless situation." I said as I stared at Lucifer suddenly appearing in front of me.
"Before you go, do you have some questions?" He asked me.
"Yes, how does time work in the shadow world manifested by the skill? Does the time stop in this world while I'm gone or just remains the same?" I asked him.
"A year in the shadow world created by the <Shadow Path> counts as a day back here." Lucifer replied.
"Does it really have to be a random world? Can't it be a specific world?" I asked him.
"Unfortunately, only father can create that kind of skill... but as you know..." Lucifer said making me sigh.
"Then I have another question. For example, I'm in the Naruto World, would I be able to use chakra? Can I still use my <Nullification> or the Elven magic system?" I asked him since its an important info I needed.
"The answer lies in your body. Your body was an experiment by father actually and you were chosen by father through slots. As for your skills, it is closely tied to your body." Lucifer said.
"Why slots though? Is he confident in his luck?" I asked him with a straight face.
"Uhhhhh... let's change to the next topic." Lucifer looked away slightly embarrassed.
"I f*cking knew it." I cursed loudly.
"Even though he's father, he still has some things he doesn't excel at... when it comes to things involving luck... you know the rest. That's why I was shocked when your soul was placed into that experimental body. I thought that you're a genius warrior that father picked, but when I learned that you got chosen through slots... I honestly wasn't confident that you can handle it. But when I continued to watch your growth, I was slowly convinced that you are indeed suitable for that body. Like you know, two negatives will turn into positive." Lucifer said while I sighed at his words.
"So? What's so special about this body with useless mana?" I asked Lucifer.
"Its not useless mana. Your body contains special pathway and its not developed yet that's why you can't do anything with it yet. The special trait of that body is its adaptation." Lucifer said to me.
"Its adaptation? Special pathway?" I asked him in confusion.
"Let's put it this way, you know that there are worlds with different power systems, right? Like in Naruto, the Chakra. In Bleach, the Reiryoku. In Hunter x Hunter, the Nen. With your adaptive body, your body will adapt to those systems and when they fully adapted, you'll have integrate it to your own pathway.
Either you learn it by yourself or you have someone to teach you. Like how you taught yourself your gacha magic and how you asked the elves on how to systematically use the mana in the air. What I'm trying to say is that your body is a pathway in itself. Your <Nulification> also grows alongside your body since its closely related to your body." Lucifer explained and I slowly digested the things that he said.
"Isn't that kinda broken then? The more I travel and integrate power systems in my body, the more I'll be powerful, right?" I asked Lucifer.
"Indeed its powerful, that's a special body made by Father after all. Heck, if your adaptive body gets used to its presence, you can harness the purest form of energy, the Chaos itself." Lucifer said and I'm surprised by what he said.
"Why chaos, when its pure?" I asked him in confusion. I thought it would be called cosmic energy or something like origin energy like you know, those cultivation stuff. Lucifer chuckled at me as if knowing what's on my mind.
"Because everything starts and returns to Chaos." That's all Lucifer said but I could feel that there's more to it that Lucifer hid.
"I see. Then if I gather more power systems then I could turn this current world upside down?" I said and Lucifer smiled.
"Don't tell me you'd be satisfied after defeating the problems plaguing this world and you wanted to stay here for all your life?" Lucifer asked me and I thought about it. Maybe I would be satisfied with it, it was a mission I wished to fulfill in the past run but failed.
Then after that, what? Marry Adjest and have kids, become old and rot in the ground once I got buried. I remembered that Raphael once asked us what are we going to do after we cleared the shadow world that's been plaguing the world. I couldn't answer his question.
Lucifer seeing me ponder by myself smiled.
'That's right, awaken the ambition inside you. Your adventurous personality wouldn't let you sit still without doing anything. You might've repressed it after taking over your territory, but it would pop up once a spark was created.' Lucifer thought to himself. I shook my head and returned to reality.
"Then one more question. Can I bring others into the shadow world made by the skill?" I asked Lucifer.
"Yes, you can. You're going to need a group that would help you." Lucifer said to me.
"But wouldn't their body be unable to use different power systems since their body is different than mine?" Lucifer chuckled after hearing my question.
"Its easy. Do you know One for all? You know, All Might?" Lucifer said and I was gobsmacked.
"Do you mean my body have that trait as well? Holy f*ck this body is OP. Hold on, when I get stronger I could just clear the shadow world by myself right? Why should I need a group?" I asked him once again and Lucifer stared at me with a serious expression which slightly surprised me. He would always smile while explaining things I don't know about but this is the first time I saw him get serious after asking him.
"A group would massively help you since you can't just do things all at once, you can't complete two objectives at the same time, but with a group. you could split up so that when the time comes where you have to choose one, you can break that and pick both since you have reliable teammates to back you up." His words made my body shook. His words made sense and I couldn't help but think of a situation where I only have to choose one.
"Also, you need a group that you could entrust your back. You know the deal between us. The other factions might be tame right now but the peace won't last long. You don't want to be alone when facing other factions. I myself leads a faction but I'm not sure if they would stand by you so its better to grow your own faction. You need it, Aegis. Specially with the objective of the deal, when the other factions knew about it, they would surely snuff you out and trust me, you don't want to be alone when facing a faction." Lucifer said which made me shiver. I calmed myself down to the best of my abilities and thought about it.
"Then can I recruit those in the shadow world and bring them back with me?" I asked him and he just shook his head.
"Although its a new world, its still an alternate world made by the skill I gave you and those worlds aren't real, its just a simulated world to make you grow in power." Lucifer said which made me slightly disappointed. I mean, if I could recruit those strong beings then I could form a powerful group of people.
"That's a shame." I said with a sigh.
"Hm? Is that a problem? If you want to recruit them that badly, then you can just go to their world and convince them to join you, right?" Lucifer said which made me realize one thing.
"Do you mean..." Lucifer cut me off before I could finish what I'm going to say.
"Yes, they are. They are as genuine as they could be. They are not just works of fiction. I mean, this world in itself is a work of fiction, isn't it?" He said and I was seriously stumped.
"But... how?" It piqued my interest, I was curious about what other worlds look like. Something inside me is telling me to go and explore those worlds. I wanted to meet new people or maybe I could return to the world I once lived in.
Lucifer smiled once more as he could see the ambition inside my body, ignite. Its just a small little flame but it would slowly grow into a big flame that's unstoppable.
"When you've cleared this world. I'll tell you. For now, I'll give you this." Lucifer threw a ring with an Ouroboros symbol. Seeing my confusion, Lucifer explained.
"Its what you call a spatial ring. I'm sure you know what that is, right? To use that, use the mana inside your body and think of your items to store them." He said and I nodded.
"All I needed to do is clear this world and you'll tell me the method to visit other worlds, right?" I asked and he nodded.
"Yup. Also take this. Its my insignia. If you want to meet with me, just think of my place and it'll notify me." Lucifer said to me.
"One last question, you said that my body could allow other's body to adapt to other power systems right? What if other people possess my blood or anything that's in this body?" I asked him since I don't want to be a blood bank if I get caught by those stronger than me.
"They can't be taken forcefully. Only those whom you've acknowledged will be able to harness your power." Lucifer said to me. I sighed in relief after hearing his answer.
"All right, I've held you back long enough. Off you go." Lucifer said and waved his hands. A portal opened up and I stared at it. I breathed deeply and looked at Lucifer.
"I'm still baffled at how you know so many things better than an otaku." I said to him which made him laugh.
"Oh, that? Its because I was the one who shared the info of the other worlds through the author's dreams. If they didn't pick them up, I would choose another person." Lucifer said which made me dumbfounded.
"So you're the culprit as to why they make those excellent works." I laughed wryly. Are you that bored to share them what happens in the other worlds to the authors?
Wasting no more time, I placed all my items in the spatial ring and wore the ring in my pinky. The ring adjusted itself to my finger and it doesn't feel tight at all. After placing the items, I breathed deeply once more and entered the portal.
*
In a certain monastery, a teenager with silvery-white hair appeared. He was staring in the air because of the surprise in his blue eyes.
That teenager was of course me, not Dio. F*ck that memelord.
I was staring at the virtual screen in front of me. In the virtual screen, it showed me the background and the objectives to clear this shadow world.
[The land of Ionia is invaded by Noxus, the Placidium of Navori, the holy land of the Ionians are taken over by the Noxian army. Repel the invading Noxian army. Xan Irelia will be the key to completing the objectives. You are a student picked up by the elders of the monastery.
Main Objective:
1. Repel the Noxian Army.
2. Kill Jericho Swain.
3. Kill Admiral Duqal
Sub quests:
1. The population of Ionia must not fall below 25% of its population.
2. Defend the Holy Monastery from the Noxian Invasion.
3. Protect the wisdom of Hirana, Shojin, and the ancient cultures of Ionia from being destroyed and lost for all eternity.]
'Woah... I never expected I would arrive in this world...' I thought to myself after reading the objectives.
"The land of Runeterra." I muttered the name of this world.
===============================
There's a few things that I would like to point out.
Regarding the power system of the main world, their power system is really really slow and hard to improve. Almost all of those 6th circle mages are, let's say, 45 y/o and above. It is way easier to reach the King class aura user than a 6th circle mage. Trust me, it is way slow to improve in the mage rank.
Also the 'original' shadow worlds, not the shadow world created by the skill, <Shadow Path>, ONLY involves the history of that world and not the anime worlds and stuff. It means only those that happened in the past of the world not the past of other worlds.
Also yeah I chose the world of Runeterra because other than smut fanfics about League of Legends, I have never read any fanfics about it, if there are, I haven't heard of them that's why I wanted to give the land of Runeterra some love.
About the lore, I will only use the 2nd Ionian war but I will make it also different because the lore of League of Legends' champions and its world are constantly changing and i wanted to make a spin of my own.
I'm still picking my groove up since I've just returned from a 4 months of hiatus so I expect mistakes and stuff. I'm just writing what constantly runs in my mind and when I feel good about it, I put it down here. Gimme a break.
