Starting Point

Chapter 2: Starting Point

As the three have simultaneously pressed the button, their eyes closed slowly as if in a trance as their body began to sit in a lotus position. This happened as if they were in an autopilot. Their phone clattered on the floor as it shut down automatically. Strangely, a small square mark of yin yang like a cinnabar appeared on their foreheads as they were now in a complete meditation form.

+++++++++

"Where am I?" A vast pitch black sky and a vast white land was all Ai Yun can see.

<Welcome to the world of Heavenly Immortals.>

"Who is it?" Ai can't help but be surprised when he heard a monotonous voice of a young boy sounded over his head. He looked around raising his guard up as if there was someone or something — only to find nothing but the black and white surrounding.

<I am the system guide. Would you like to name me?>

Ai can't help but contemplate what is happening so far because even his late self have no memories of experiencing this kind of scenario all throughout his gaming career.

"Name huh..I'll call you, Yun then." Since the late Ai and the former Zhen have the same last name, he thought of giving their surname to the system guide since he also somehow felt that it has a big part of himself.

<Confirmed. I am now called Yun.>

"So tell me, Yun, where am I right now?" Ai asked. "What's happening?"

<You are in the Yin Yang Plane. This is where you create your character.>

As the monotone voice of Yun sounded, an eight-foot tall crystal mirror emerged from the ground reflecting a floating naked body.

<What you see in the crystal mirror is your inner desire of what you want to appear like.>

What was Ai seeing in the crystal mirror was his past self of Zhen Yun — crimson long hair, scarlet indifferent eyes, well defined nose and jaws and a six-foot tall body of a celebrity model. His appearance was like a charming demon prince that can even seduce holy angels above the sky. It was really a great contrast of his appearance right now — a scrawny five and a half-foot tall body, overly tanned skin from playing football in the past, eyes full of dark bags that caused from sleepless nights and a hair like a bird's nest. Surprisingly, face-wise, the two still look the same somehow.

"Hey, Yun, can I change the color of my character's hair into black?" Ai asked with the look of melancholy on his face as he remember his past life used to be. "..and also the color of my eyes."

<Confirmed.>

In the crystal mirror, the color of the hair and eyes of the past Zhen Yun turned into jet black. As Ai saw the new appearance of the man in the crystal mirror, he smiled contentedly as if he was seeing off his long time buddy.

<What is the name of your character?>

"Ai Zhen." The name just popped in his mind right away, it's as if this is the late Ai's and the former Zhen's innate wish if they are given a chance for a new life.

<Player Ai Zhen, confirmed. Please step in through the crystal mirror whenever you are ready.>

As Ai stepped in through the crystal mirror, he asked Yun a final question. "Is this really a game?"

<I don't know.>

This reply from Yun really made him taken aback. He was about to back away as his doubts and wariness spiked up from the whole event. Unfortunately, his foot was already inside the crystal mirror which absorbed him whole.

—————

<Initiating System Injection...loading...Complete!>

<Character Status...loading...Complete!>

<Location Selection...loading...Complete!>

<Town Randomization...loading...Complete!>

—————

The rising sun was an amazing view to see as some of its rays were reflecting on the drizzles from the sprouted water of the fountain. The houses and the buildings were vintage — simple yet has an air of elegance. Even though the silhouettes of the breaking dawn could still be seen, lots of people could already be seen busying themselves. This is what Ai was seeing right after the flash of purple and and golden intricate linings scenery.

The place that he was in right now is called, Hidden Leaf Town, because as you look at it in a top view, the town structure was patterned like a leaf — the leaf stem served as the town's entrance and exit hallway, the edges served as the walls and the veins were designed as the main road which divided the whole town into six sections. Ai right now was in the starting point between the main road and the entry and exit point of the town. Only the main road was layered with bricks.

"Yun, are you still there?" Ai asked with uncertainty.

<Yes, I will be with you throughout the Tutorial Phase.>

"What is the Tutorial Phase?"

<Tutorial Phase is the basic things that you need to learn in order to survive.>

"Survive???" Ai was now really unsure if this is just a game.

<You can accomplish the Tutorial Phase through your quest log.>

"System Open." Ai Zhen muttered and a system window in front of him and this can only be seen by him. The basic knowledge of the System was been ingrained to his mind as the System Injection was loading.

The system window has a pentagon shape. Each sides represents different options to be viewed at the center of all sides; Character, Inventory, Quest, Guild and Friend. Whenever the player opens the system window, the first thing they will see is the character status that can be located at the bottom side.

Ai Zhen could see his miniature self rotating in order to present his current appearance — he was wearing a plain black doll shoes with a metal plating as the sole, a black jagger-like pants, black turtle neck sleeveless underarmor shirt and a golden robe-like three fourth's sleeve kimono cardigan with purple linings. In the left and right side, he could see the information of his character.

—————

Name: Ai Zhen

HP: 100 / 100

MP: 100 / 100

SP: 100/100

Level: 0

EXP: 0 / 90

CULTIVATION:

Art: NONE

Realm: NA

Breakthrough: 0 / 0 EXP

STATS: +33

* Strength: 0+

(Boost your attack and defense power)

* Intelligence: 0+

(Boost your comprehension power)

* Dexterity: 0+

(Boost your attack, skill and movement speed)

* Vitality: 0+

(Boost your HP and MP)

* Stamina: 0+

(Boost your SP)

Occupation: NONE

Skills: NONE

Equipments:

[Basic Robe]

Level: 1

Defense: 0

Durability: Indestructible

Effects: NONE

[Basic Turtle Shirt]

Level: 1

Defense: 0

Speed: 0

Durability: Indestructible

Effects: NONE

[Basic Pants]

Level: 1

Defense: 0

Speed: 0

Durability: Indestructible

Effects: NONE

[Basic Shoes]

Level: 0

Defense: 0

Speed: 0

Durability: Indestructible

Effects: NONE

Money: 0

—————

The Inventory tab is still greyed out at the moment. A certain quest or item must be achieved or obtained first in order for this feature to be unlocked.

The Quest tab is where the status of your quest logs could be seen.

The Friend tab is where you can add other player as a friend and can be used as a tool of communication. It can also be used to look up someone's status that's why one must be careful when adding friends because the only way to unfriend someone is to kill them. NPC can also be added as friends but it needs a certain amount of friendship points in order to be able to add one.

On the Guild tab, this is where you can see anything about the guild that you are in. If you are the guild leader or someone with an appointed status, certain features will be unlocked.

Ai Zhen opened the Quest tab, and there, he saw three boxes containing each quest in the quest log.

Quest 1: Talking

Initiate a conversation to a NPC which will lead into giving you a quest.

Reward: +55 EXP

Note: You must accept the given quest.

0/1

Quest 2: Learning

Learn 5 skills in any ways.

Reward: +100 EXP per learned skill and +100 EXP per skill rank

0/5

Quest 3: Cultivating

Cultivate a Body, Spiritual or Soul Arts

Reward:

* +350 EXP for Body Art (+350 EXP per rank)

* +550 EXP for Spiritual Art (+550 EXP per rank)

* +800 EXP for Soul Art (+700 EXP per rank)

Note: Required level: 10+

0/1

"Huh, seems easy.." Ai Zhen couldn't help but doubt how easy the quests are as he tapped into the late Ai's memories about playing this kind of game, and one thing that he's suspecting, if his theory can be applied, then he have no doubts that he'll be the one ruling and unbeatable in this game.

"Off to quest then!" Ai Zhen can't help but glee as he looked forward on the things that will happen.