2 Bright New World

"Brace?"

"What was I bracing for?"

"Why can't I see anything other than this dull loading screen?"

"What's this about a new world?"

"This game's loading screen doesn't look like this."

"What was that weird warmth that took me over a second ago?"

"Why do I feel damp all of a sudden?"

"Hey M, what's going on?"

"…"

"M? Are you there?!"

"This isn't funny!"

[ This System greets this Host. ]

"… System? Aren't you my desktop Advisor? I recognize this voice."

[ Booting up support functions. Beginning New World. ]

"Heeeeey!?"

The once bleak world of darkness with only a few words and animated loading screen printed before Tyfon, seemed to change in an instant. A lush landscape came over his eyes and showed a massive set of mountains off in the distance. It seemed to surround the entire area from as far as the eye could see.

"Where… Is this?"

Suddenly the Character Menu popped up in front of Tyfon. Everything was covered n question marks when it came to his name and basic information. "What…?"

[ Host Requires a new name. Cache dumped all known information. ]

Name: ???

Gender: Male

Mercenary Association: ???

Rank: ???

Eminence Points: ???

[ Character Appearance restored. ]

"…" Glancing around, he would sigh a bit. Scratching the side of his head, but that was when he paused. He could feel the helmet which was on his head. The stubs of hair along the back his neck.

His hand moved along his shoulder and down the power armor which was situated on his body. He was equipped with the same items as before. This was weird. Just being able to touch and feel everything was not right.

Taking in a deep breath, he almost sneezed from the amount of pollen in the air. A light breeze passed by him. "What…?"

[ Would this Host like to be named "What" or something else? ]

"Something else," Tyfon snapped coldly as the system spoke, somehow naturally dismissing his current discoveries due to being annoyed by this supposed System.

[ Host Requires a new name. What shall your name be? ]

"Tyfon Ladas."

[ This name is already taken. Choose another. ]

"…" Tapping the side of his helmet with his finger, he closed his eyes a bit. Then opened them again and looked over at the water filled sink hole near by. Seeing little bugs moving on the surface, he chuckled a little.

"Jack Strider."

[ Name Accepted. ]

After a few seconds the question marks were replaced by the name 'Jack Strider,' but that wasn't all. The Mercenary Association remained with question marks, and so did the Rank and Eminence Points.

Checking his laser rifle, there was still a full clip and it seemed he could access the store page too. "Hm…" Letting out a chuckle, he would look up towards the sky. Feeling the rays of twin sons on his face.

That's when he paused yet again. "Two suns? Why is there two suns? System, where am I?"

[ New Association Name required. ]

"…" The newly proclaimed Jack Strider would let out a snicker as he knew that if he said anything, the System would interpret it as a new name. "Water Strider Sect," was his answer. Soon enough the question marks were replaced yet again.

[ Name Accepted. ]

"Now System, where am I?" Jack crossed his arms over his chest after slinging his rifle over his shoulder. "Why is there two suns? Why does everything feel different? Why can I feel everything?"

[ Sigh. ]

"Did you just sigh?"

[ No. I said 'Sigh.' This system retorts sarcastically. ]

"What's the difference? And why are you all of a sudden talking in third person again?"

[ I don't know what you're talking about. The system is this system. ]

For a moment there it seemed that Jack Strider was now completely confused, puzzled, at the demeanor of this system. It had a cute girly voice which sounded like his half-sister who designed the desktop advisor app which he had on his headset.

"Just tell me where I am."

[ Accessing World Database. Acce–Acc–A… AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! ]

Something which sounded like dial up would begin to fill his ears for a few seconds before suddenly he was met with silence. All he heard was the wind.

"System?" Jack called out in his mind, but he was only met with several minutes of awkward silence. The odd scream which engulfed his ears had been extremely unsettling.

[ World Mechanics Emulation Complete. Welcome to Renzu. ]

"Where is Renzu?" Jack immediately submitted a query to the System as his eyes dully stared forward as a group of villagers could be seen making their way across the plains. Taking the scope off of his rifle he would use it to look at them.

There were plenty of people in rag or hemp clothing. They didn't look extremely poor, but they didn't look wealthy. Most of the people were young women and children. There were only a handful of men and it seemed like they were too old to really fight or anything of the sort.

Looking to the west, the direction they came from, there was the scent of blood in the air. It was just as unsettling as the lack of answers which were coming from the system.

[ Sixth Rank Restored from dumped data cache. All privileges and functions related to the rank has been restored. Well done, Jack Strider. Qi Cultivation System detected. Downloading Cultivation Database for increased immersion. This System hopes Host will praise it. ]

"Energy Cultivation System?" His brow raised slightly. "What do you mean by this? What do you mean by immersion? I'm already immersed in a completely different world."

[ Download complete. Installing software. Please Wait. ]

The System has yet again ignored the man's questions and went on to put him on standby as if he meant nothing to it.

"Seriously?"

[ Seriously. This System Mocks the Host. Speaking in Third Person yet again. ]

"You're courting death, System." Jack fruitlessly threatened the incorporeal being known as the System.

[ If I die, you die. This Host is insane. Requesting a new one. ]

"…"

[ I am unable to access customer support. I don't want to die. Sob. ]

"Are you crying?" Jack would ask sarcastically with a grin forming over his lips. He generally had an idea how the System would respond. It might just be like last time where it tries to tell the host that it only said Sob.

[ Yes, yes I am. ]

This was unexpected. He thought he was going to get a sassy reply and yet it got nothing of the sort. Did it suddenly because serious as it thought its life was in danger? Or was it still just messing with him?

Letting out a sigh, he turned to look at the people again through the scope. The villagers were coming towards him. Women and children were in the front. It seemed like the older men, or elderly men and women were in the back.

His eyes grew wide as he saw three people standing on flying swords a distance behind them. Focusing on the faces of the people running, they had expressions of irrational fear. They were screaming.

"Wh–" He cut himself off as he watched one of the sword riding lunatics dive into the wall of elders and tear them asunder. Heads, legs, feet, hands and other extremities were sent into the air. Painting the once lush green landscape in bright red and dark crimson.

[ Immortal Ranking System Acquired. Cultivation System now Active. ]

On the character menu a secondary ranking system appeared.

Cultivator Rank: Aspiring Foundation Stage.

"What are the Cultivator ranks?" Jack asked as he was moving into a prone position and taking his rifle off his shoulder. Reattaching the scope, he listened for the answer as he began to aim towards the individuals attacking helpless villagers.

[ The Cultivation ranks follow the pieces of, Xiangqi, Chinese Chess with some additional stages. A menu has been devised to show all of the cultivation syste– ]

The System was cut off as the one known as Jack Strider pulled the trigger and sniped a cultivator off of the top of his sword. They disintegrated immediately due to the biological disruption properties of the translucent laser.

[ Nut Shot! Fifth level Pao Foundation Cultivator killed. 500 EP. 500 EXP. ]

[ Spiritual Roots saturated. Level 1 Zu Foundation Cultivation obtained. ]

[ Lightning Affinity Detected. ]

[ Achievement Unlocked: Save the Villagers. 500 EP. ]

[ Achievement Unlocked: Kill a Cultivator 500 EP. ]

[ Achievement Unlocked: Become a Cultivator. 500 EP. ]

"Is this System a Cheat?" Jack asked out loud with a light huff as he targeted the next Immortal which was looking around. Not knowing where the shot had originally come from. It seemed the active camouflage automatically activated when he pulled the trigger prior.

The one looking around looked like a rather cute girl. She had pale skin, long black hair which reached down to her hips. Her mouth was small, but her eyes were big and brown. She had a modest bust enveloped by a red robe, with a white tunic underneath.

Switching targets to the man beside her who was about to go and cut down the women and children in cold blood. He pulled the trigger again. This time it hit the man in the throat and tore the man's head clean off, disintegrating it as it flew through the air.

The body and blade quickly fell to the ground.

[ Nut Shot! Sixth level Pao Foundation Cultivator killed. 500 EP. 600 EXP. ]

[ Rank Level Up. ]

"What? Who?" The girl was frantically looking side to side. Her locks of brown hair began to curl slightly. "Who d-dares impede on our mission from the God Stallion Sect?!" Even though she was stuttering, she still shouted plenty loud.

Lowering the intensity of the weapons beam, he watched out of the corner of his eye as the villagers were running passed him. One of the kids stopped and looked down at the reflective surface that almost looked like water. It was in the shape of a man. However as they went to go and touch it out of curiosity, one of the adult women grabbed the child and ran off.

With the weapon intensity changed to stun, he aimed for the girl's chest as she noticed the abnormality of the village child and began to cover towards her.

He held no killing intent, no anger. Taking in a deep breath, he pulled the trigger before exhaling slowly.

The beam smacked the girl right in the chest. "Wha…" Her vision became blurry and her arms and legs became like jelly. "How…?" She had a hard time standing up on the sword and after a few seconds of struggling fell off and landed only a few feet away from him in the short sharp grass.

Slowly standing up, he slung his weapon over his shoulder and walked over towards the girl. She looked even better close up. Kneeling down, he would turn her onto her back and undo the red robes. As he did so he stared at the various items which lined its inner pouches.

"Hm…" Reaching down he would grasp a trinket on a necklace which was around her neck. "System, can you see if there is anything special about this necklace?"

[ Affirmative. Please standby. ]

A few seconds later the system would scan the item.

[ It's a Qi collection and storage device. It helps quicken cultivation. Would you like to loot it? ]

"Yes. Erm... Loot all her items." He watched one by one as each and every one of the items such as pills and beginner scrolls began to vanish. Then what he didn't expect was all her clothes disappearing one by one. His eyes widening a bit like before, but a bright red flush exhuming upon his face.

After a short period of staring in astonishment, he would shake his head a bit before looking away. "System, reequip her outer garments."

[ Roger, roger. ]