1 C1 - The Mafia System
"This weather, I swear to god!"
On the empty street, a youth was running, desperately trying to cover himself from the rain. Cursing and cussing he let his view drift across the closed doors next to the street, trying to find one that wasn't locked and could provide him shelter from the pouring water.
"You are shitting me, right? Even old Mei's bakery is closed?"
The youth tried knocking on the door of the friendly grandma's house, but the rain muffled all noises, making it nearly impossible to hear for the deaf old lady. Sighing about his unfortunate fate he could only try somewhere else. At least nobody saw him running around like a pathetic dog, drenched in water and shivering in the cold. Not that it mattered honestly, he would just stuff the curious viewer's mouth with money and, should that not work... well, he had his ways to make people shut up for good.
The youth's name was Maren, Maren Sente. He was a quite well-known figure in his hometown, since he hogged the first place of the national 'intelligent youth' list, scoring full marks in almost every standardized test, for almost 3 years now. Although he was only 17 this year, he already had his college degree, and since he didn't really need to care about money because of his father, he just hung around in high school with a forged identity, enjoying his life to the brim.
His father, Karlo Sente, was an established crime boss in the country and had basically every important politician dancing in his hands. As his only son, Maren enjoyed extensive control over his father's businesses and a basically unlimited fund he could spend as he wanted. He invested most of that money into shares, and although it wasn't officially documented, people in the industry knew that he was a multiple billionaire from that business alone. Although he lived a comfortable life, it was as boring as it was easy. He mostly spent his time training and reading novels. If it wasn't for him visiting the fitness center despite the weather report he wouldn't be in this situation in the first place.
While Maren was running, he failed to notice how his surroundings started to look fuzzier little by little. When he realized that something was wrong, he was already standing in a pure black plain with rain pattering on his head.
"Where the hell am I?"
*DING*
-Welcome customer to our, 'Universal Shop's', System Department. Please be patient. You have been referred by one of our VIP customers and are currently in the waiting room being prepared to get transported to the counter.
"What the Fu-"
-Transport commencing
With that message, the surroundings instantly changed from the black nothingness to a brightly lit lobby, with two people sitting on a couch in front of him. Maren instantly recognized one of them, the one sitting at the right, as his father. Surprise painted his face for a moment, but he quickly hid it.
"Father? What is going on?"
"Hahaha, Maren please sit I'll explain in a bit. This is Mr. Lin Fan, a former customer of the shop but today he is our, or better your, advisor."
His father enthusiastically explained the origins of the former unknown person, and after hearing his father's respectful tone Maren quickly gave an appropriate bow.
"No need to be overly courteous, kid."
Mr. Lin Fan gave a smile, and just before Maren could form a positive impression of him he continued;
"You aren't quite worthy of bowing to me."
He said that line with a tinge of wild arrogance in his tone. Maren's face stiffened. His father, seeing Maren was getting angry, hurriedly explained:
"Don't take offense Maren, he is right."
Maren shot his father a disapproving look but suppressed his emotions when he remembered the abnormal way he got in this lobby. Seeing his son calming down, Karlo started to explain the circumstances.
"You and I are currently in one of the business room of the company called 'Universal Shop'. While I say company they are more like, you know gods. Or at least our concept of god. For example, Mr. Lin Fan here can destroy this planet with a single punch, yet he isn't even the strongest being in his world."
At this point, Lin Fan showed a slight grin.
"Hold on,"
Maren interrupted his father,
"You said this is a shop? So what exactly does this shop sell."
He kept a calm countenance, but his mind was rumbling with all the revelations he had witnessed in just a few moments.
"You like to read those Chinese web novels don't you Maren?"
Maren's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Yes I do, what do you want to say?"
"What I want to say is, they sell everything you have ever read about, and more"
The last bit of calmness in Maren's face crumbled into dust.
"You are kidding right father??"
"In no way, how else would you explain how you got here huh."
Maren stopped in his tracks, realizing that what his father said seemed to be very likely.
"Anyway, that's how it is. And maybe you guessed it, but we are here today to shop."
Karlo grinned in his son's face,
"Or rather said you shop, and I'll get back to my business again."
He turned towards Mr. Lin Fan and gave a perfect 90-degree bow.
"Thank you, Mr. Fan, for letting my son have this opportunity."
He turned back to Maren.
"I've always known how bored you were living this life my son, so I decided to gift you an early birthday present. I hope you like it."
Karlo winked.
"Anyway, I'll be going, should the need arise, I'll be in your System's contact list. Call me whenever you want, I'll be going now."
Karlo waved his son goodbye and once again gave a bow to the mysterious Lin Fan. During the whole exchange Maren was filled with complicated emotions, and just when he wanted to turn towards his father, the latter already disappeared in a flash.
After Karlo left, Mr. Lin Fan got up and pulled some papers from thin air.
"So Mr. Sente Junior, once again I am Mr. Lin Fan, your advisor for the system transfer your father applied for. Also please don't misunderstand, I'm not actually an employee of 'Universal Shop'. I'm the owner of a thing called 'System', judging from your conversation with your father you should know what that term means. Anyway, I'm currently doing a thing called 'Quest' a standard term for missions issued by your system. That's the reason I am here."
Maren blinked confusedly, trying to get order into his mess of a mind again.
"Mr. Lin Fan, you said system transfer? What does that mean?"
He cautiously asked the so-called advisor.
"Well Mr. Sente, your father was the owner of one of our systems and decided he didn't urgently need it anymore and decided to gift it to you, his son, in order to bring more fun in your life. And since it's a direct transfer you will keep all the stats already in the system."
He was envious but masked it almost flawlessly. But Maren, as the son of a mafia boss, could read humans perfectly, and instantly noticed the little shift in Lin Fan's expression.
'Weren't you supposed to have the strongest system out there Mister? How come you get envious over a teenage boy.'
Maren inwardly laughed at his inside joke, but couldn't help but get hyped about the topic.
"In addition to your system, your father also applied you for a world transfer, meaning you'll be able to migrate into another world without the hassle and problems of reincarnation. You can, however, create an avatar instead of yourself migrating. The avatar's appearance is customizable but lacks... certain parts of the human body. Also, it's not possible for an avatar to leave the assigned world. Are there any parts that you didn't understand?"
"None Sir!"
Maren was now incomparably excited, and even changed how he addressed the now 'Sir' Lin Fan. That manner of speech apparently satisfied said nobleman, and he showed a smiling expression.
"Then tell me, which method of transferring suits you best?"
"I'd like to personally migrate, Sir."
Hearing Maren's answer, Lin Fan noted something on the paper he pulled out before, wrote something down and gave a knowing smile.
"Then Mr. Sente, are you ready to transfer or do you need some time to prepare?"
"I'm ready!"
Maren's eyes gleamed with an excited light, and he almost drooled over the fantasies currently running through his head. Seeing Maren acting this way Lin Fan chuckled. He waved his hand, and he and the lobby disappeared in the blink of an eye.
*DING*
-The host was transferred to the waiting room, preparing Transfer process
Instantly Maren got a message in his head.
-Transfer prepared, User, recognized, User authorized, Transfer commencing
He felt a powerful suction force drawing him in, forcing him to close his eyes. After opening them again he found himself standing on a coastal cliff, with the ocean in front of him, and beautiful, tall mountains at his back.
*DING*
-Transfer process successful, stabilizing host, in reality, stabilizing success, calculating necessary data, calculated User data available, booting System
With a 'woosh' sound Maren's vision went light blue for a second.
-Welcome to the 'Mafia-System' [Host]
Maren read the message that popped up in a blue window in the corner of his view and brightly smiled.
'This is so refreshing!'
He felt like a burden was lifted off his shoulders when he looked at the mountains that were easily twice as tall as Mt. Everest back on Earth. He now truly felt like the character of some web novel on Quidian, written by a dude that got bored one day.
"System, show me my stats."
-[Host] is informed that using mind commands is an available option as to not let the [Host] appear weird in front of natives
'Okay got that.'
Maren nearly facepalmed himself. Didn't every system in every web novel ever come with that function?
-Stats are loading
-[Host]'s current status:
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Name: [Maren Sente]
Nickname: [None] (Information: Forged name, available to fake documents and the like)
Public Title: [None]
Alternative Title: [Crime Boss (Stats copied from former Host, can be hidden)] | [Mafioso (Charisma +3, can be hidden)]
Hidden Title: [Transmigrator (Charisma towards Expert-level figures +1] [VIP-customer (can trade valuables with the System)]
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Level: 113
Cultivation: [None]
(Information: [Can emit up to Reality-Fabric Fluctation])
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Inner Qi: Formed
Outer Qi: Formed
Material Qi: Formed
Heaven's Lantern: Formed
Intelligence: 11
Qi: 15
Strength: 9
Agility: 9
Charisma: 3 (+3 (+1 [Special Circumstances]))
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Recruited Personnel: [None]
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'Huh aren't these stats kinda... low? System?'
-Information: [Host]'s stats are compromised to fit current world standards
'Then what is my strength now?'
-Does Host wish to download relevant Information? [Y/N]
'Yes obviously, say it'
-Downloading Information, Download successful
Mortal Realm:
Enlightenment - Level 1-10
Understanding - Level 11-20
Execution - Level 21-30
Practitioner Realm:
Success - Level 31-40
Peak - Level 41-60
Perfection - Level 61-70
Ascension Realm:
Calling - Level 71-80
Following - Level 81-90
Stairs - Level 91-110
Divinity Realm:
Reality's Fabric - Level 111-120 [Host's current level, needs to cultivate to confirm]
Reality's Path - Level 121-130
Reality's Law - Level 131
-Information: Sources of Descriptions: Ancestor Ye's 'Compendium of Cultivation - Introduction'
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'Hm hmmmm!'
Maren smiled, he was satisfied with that explanation. He now set off into the unlimited future, walking towards treasure, women, and excitement.
'System, open up the map!'
He was excited and ready to go, the light flashing through his eyes expectant for the future.
The System though stayed silent.
'System?'
-....
'Hello?'
-....
'Oh shit no'
-Yes [Host], we forgot the map
'Are you kidding me...'
