CH 23

It's been two years since Zel started this dream. All his planning has made it possible for him to reach this far, he only hoped that this one lets him go farther than he had ever done. That's what the dreams are for, or that's what he used it for.

Zel walked out of the main building of their newly built headquarters, Oculus. Had they been given a little more time, the plan for the whole island would have been implemented. But time waits for no man, and he couldn't just rush Charles and Karl like that.

'They've already done their best.'

In fact, it didn't really matter. Though it was a shame that there were still roadblocks to the plans, the results have gotten better than his previous dream. Zel knew that his refinement of the plans was making it better as he was remembering the first time they did this.

'I was the only one who survived without losing a limb or two. I didn't even have Charles and the others with me so we couldn't set up a defense system. But now things have gotten better.'

The first time was always the hardest, especially when everything before the time he got the system changed. The knowledge stockpiled with one year of usage of clairvoyance were mostly useless, par for some training he had done that made his skills get more levels without the use of Skill Points.

His many experiments have shown that the benefits of training in the dreams were only in one aspect of the system, skill. The rewards from the quests, the titles he earned and even the stats he had from leveling up were not retained. The only thing he got was experience in using his skills which helped to unlock them in the Available Skills and Talents Function, but his already earned skill got no actual experience points. Though if he used them in real life with the mastery he has in the dreams, he could use them a lot more effectively than what most will ever be capable of.

Today was the day the portals would start showing up. They've already faced many abdicates and he had trained his people to their best possible state with the time he had. Even the young Charlie had reached Level 4 with his guidance, but he was not ready to fight with other people. After all, even if he had skill points, if he had no skills to put them on then it was useless. His Level 5 Base Earth Control couldn't be leveled up anymore because he had no class yet. Which means he has no access to high level skills unless he gets to level 5 which was the best level to get a class.

Those who wasted their Class Assignment Crystal by using it too early didn't get to choose a class that suits them. After all, it is based on your skill set so if you don't have a good synergy of skills then you'll get shit classes like a 'Warrior' or even worse 'Runner'. He knew someone who had done it so early that her only skill was 'Running' which made the only available class for her the 'Runner' class. In the end, she chose to double down on the skill and became an athlete, but now that the portal has opened, it's only going to be useless for her since she might not even survive with just that.

"King! We have searched the perimeter and found none of the energy signatures you gave. We believe that the island would not be invaded."

"Good! Keep watch. Call me if something comes up."

"Yes, King!"

Karl who was now a ranker as well became his first follower. Followers are people who have no access to the system but can be granted permission to access the Status and Side Quests Function through the permission of a ranker. This means that they get the basics of leveling up and getting skills but none of the other functions are available to them. The better the ranker they chose to follow, the better the skills they can get. After all, the ranker's able to grant them a skill if they want to.

Right now, Karl was given the basic mana control and basic mana storage. This enables him to at least protect himself from the dangers of the new world. When he gets his body acquainted with enough mana, the system might just give him access so he could get stronger. Even though most people would get the system, there were still a few whose bodies might not be compatible with mana. This follower system basically made everyone able to get access to the system, but not everyone got the follower system. This was one of the benefits of his Class, 'King'.

[Class: King

As the ruler of the Pantheon Kingdom, you've earned the right to call yourself King. Kings are men who guide the people, men who are first to fight for the livelihood of his people, men who bear the responsibility of keeping the peace.

Perks:

*Grants the Royalty Title

*Unlocks Kingdom Management Function

*Unlocks Follower Function

*Gives the user Dignity - (Level) x 2

*Store Discount of 20 %

Penalty:

*Losing the kingdom means losing the class.

*Display of weakness drastically reduces kingdom satisfaction]

[#0616 Zel Huertazuela

Age: 22       Race: Human

Gender: Male   Class: King

Vessel Limit: (36/39)   Level: 1 (5/2000)

Mana: 150(+1450)    Exp: 470

Titles :

Prophet - A user with the power to see through the lens and gaze at the fogs of time.

*Unlocks Clairvoyance

Rebirth - A user who has had met with death yet still lives.

*Gives +5 in Endurance and Will Power

Royalty - A user that rules over a land, people and has sovereign power.

*Gives +5 in Strength, Agility, Endurance and Dignity; +(Level) in Vessel Limit

Mana Blessed - A user with a basic understanding of mana.

*Gives +5 in Intelligence]

[Stats:

Strength - 10(+12)   Endurance - 4(+19)

Agility - 10(+19)   Will Power - 3(+5)

Intelligence - 3(+29)   Charisma - 3

Dexterity - 3(+2)   Dignity - 12(+5)

Stat Points Available: 0

-For reference, a regular mortal human has a baseline of 1 in each stat. Each succeeding point in stats showcase the user's capability in comparison to that.]

[Skills:

[4] - Unarmed Combat - Level 4 (Exp 60.23%)

- The ability to fight with only the use of the body with mastery. Gives the user +4 in Strength, Agility and Endurance.

- Active Ability: Grants + (Level) Strength, Agility and Endurance while fighting.

Requirements: Unarmed [Mana Cost: 10 to activate and 1/second to keep active]

[3] - Cold Weapon Specialist - Level 3 (Exp 22%)

- The ability to fight with the aid of cold weapons with mastery. Gives the user +3 in Strength and Agility.

- Active Ability: Grants + (Level) Strength and Agility while fighting.

Requirements: Armed with cold weapon [Mana Cost: 20 to activate and 1/second to keep active]

[2] - Hot Weapon Specialist - Level 2 (Exp 15.5%)

- The ability to fight with the use of the hot weapons with mastery. Gives the user +2 in Dexterity and Agility

- Active Ability: Grants + (Level) Dexterity and Agility while fighting.

Requirements: Armed with hot weapon [Mana Cost: 20 to activate and 1/second to keep active]

[3] - Basic Mana Storage - Level 3 (Exp 20.5%)

- The ability to observe and handle mana. Gives the user + 6 in Intelligence

- Active Ability: None

Requirements: None

[4] - Basic Mana Control - Level 4 (Exp 10%)

- The ability to manipulate and manifest mana. Gives the user + 8 in Intelligence

- Active Ability: Imbuing - Impart an item with limited mana. [Mana Cost: 50/Cast]

Requirements: None

[2]Basic Mana Regeneration - Level 2 (Exp 80%)

- Improves mana regeneration, allows use to handle greater mana strain. Gives the user + 4 in Intelligence

- Active Ability: Conjure - Concentrate mana over a part of the body [Mana Cost: 50/Cast]

Requirements: None

[3]Basic Language - Level 1 (Exp 8%)

- Gives user basic knowledge of major languages. Gives the user + 3 in Intelligence

- Active Ability: None

Requirements: None

Skill Points Available: 0 pt.]

[Equipment: (5/5)

-Basic Storage Ring

-Scholar's Bungle (+3 intelligence)

-System Watch 3.0

-Boots of Travel (+5 agility)

-Liger's Shield (+5 endurance)

Reputation:

Kanada - 30

Cina - 15

United States of Merica - 40

Aftica - 3

Jopan - 20

Engsea - 35

[Talents:

[15] - Clairvoyance (Future Sight) - Blue

- The ability to participate in a future that ceases to be after death.

- Active Ability: Future Passage - Take part in a possible future.

Requirements: Asleep [Mana Cost: 100 to activate and 2/year to keep active]

Skills and Talents Available:

[5]Basic Fire Control - Level 1 - 10 pt.

[2]Basic Civil Engineering - Level 1 - 2 pt.

[1]Basic First Aid - Level 1 - 1 pt.

[1]Basic Cooking - Level 1 - 1 pt.

[1]Basic Singing - Level 1 - 1 pt.

[1]Basic Drawing - Level 1 - 1 pt.

[1]Basic Weapon Crafting - Level 1 - 2 pt.

Mastery Points Available: 0 pt.]

Zel looked around his kingdom, where there were only a few hundred people present. The main reason they were able to accompany him was because they had all chosen to follow him. His Follower Function allowed him to get control over their actions, so no one with bad intentions could get the slip on him. Though the thought of someone having control over them made them feel exposed, the fact that they trusted Zel made it easy for everyone here to accept that condition. After all, if everyone's at one side then no one here is an enemy.

"Hey there, tiger!"

"Emilia? You're back!"

Zel saw that Emilia was back with the two Tina's in tow. Tina Feller who was her best friend and Tina McAvoy who was the little sister of Charles. They were all wearing a black robe that covered everything from the neck down. This was a symbol of the Pantheon, their group, that made themselves known all over the world when they helped to subjugate the Level 4 Abdicate army that appeared in the USM.

In actuality, it was just the rest of the main team of Pantheon watching Zel who did everything on his own. But the fact that only one of them had to move made them all the more mysterious and dangerous for other groups. They even tried to recruit Zel when he was finished, but when he declared that he was the 'King' of the Pantheon, the offers died down quickly. The feat eventually spread his name all over Kanada and the USM.

"We got little Tina her new skill! You were right about the abdicate appearing on the west coast of Kanada, we got to it faster than anyone else could respond."

"So, she's Level 3 now?"

"Yeah, Tina's also level 2 now. The system has also contacted her"

"It's going to be confusing when little Tina gets older. I won't be able to tell which Tina is being talked about"

"I know, little Tina could be called Lina instead!"

"Umm, I don't know..."

"Lina sounds like a nice name."

"I'm Lina then!"

Tina and Lina went out of the room while only Zel and Emilia stayed behind. They had been separated for the last week so there was a lot of things they needed to be addressed.

"Did you ever wonder what it would be for the people you leave behind after you die in the dream?"

"I'll always be here, you don't have to worry."

"I know it's just a dream Zel, the couch was gone."

"..."

"Is that why we never married?"

"You know that the things here disappear when I leave... I don't know if I could take it if I lose you again, so I never bothered."

"What if we don't die after you do? Wouldn't that mean that there are worlds out there where you left me behind?"

"I don't know, I really don't."

Zel had already faced this question before, as he asked it himself a hundred times already. The answer he always came to was simple. It doesn't matter. In all the dreams he had, there were no regrets. If he dies, then that's it. The real world is where it matters, the people in his dreams, though he wouldn't abandon them, would just have to live with the fact that he is dead.

"That's why I don't do anything I would regret. Why I always treat you as I would every Emilia I meet. Why I'll always be yours."

"Then isn't that selfish?"

"Maybe, but when I am here. I am yours. So, if you want to be selfish, just tell me. I'll give you every moment of this life if you want it."

"That's fine with me."

Zel and Emilia had kissed for the thousandth time. Even if he knew that she wasn't the same Emilia in the real world, he couldn't just abandon her. If she wanted him to stay then he would stay, if she wanted him gone then he would follow her anyway. His promise to her stays true, whatever the world it may be. It was then that Karl knocked on the door while shouting out loud.

"King! A Level 5 signal has appeared at the north border! Sir Matthew has already left to meet them. He said that your presence was needed!"

Zel opened the door to let him enter, he saw that Karl was panting from running here at his fastest pace. His shirt covered in sweat also showed that.

"A level 5 abdicate? Is it alone?"

"That's the thing King, sir Matthew said that it felt like a giant spot of land was filled with them. He didn't know if it was a single abdicate or worse..."

"An army of Level 5's?"

As he was thinking of what it could be, his System Watch that had the ability to automatically notify him of changes to his system suddenly caught his attention.

"Ding."

[New Side Quest Available:

(Survive)

Enemies have surrounded the Pantheon's territory. Defeat all enemies in the vicinity of Oculus.

*Rewards:

- 10 Skill Points

- 500 Exp Points

- 5 Mastery Points

Time Limit: none

*Failure Penalty:

-Oculus is destroyed

-King Class lost]