2nd Day of the Orientation Week.
Sam had started to familiarize his soul orb and mana core with the energies in the air. For the other two destinies, he was putting them on hold for now, as the tasks he had gotten were more than enough.
The main task being, getting a spirit. He didn't had the money to buy a staff, but a spirit was still important to absorb first.
"Look! My father sent me this staff. He told me it was made from a living tree!! Isn't that Impressive!"
"It's nothing against mine. My magical staff was especially made by some expert mages from the continent. They said it will enhance the effects of my mana core by 2 times!"
"Oh? Just a staff. Hah! My uncle is also bringing me a demon spider spirit from far away. He has already gifted me many wands made from special gems, hehe. Want one?"
"Oi, you were in the class of Master Jiro right? What did he tell you all to do?"
Just like this, the Academy was in a frenzy of activities and mingling within the children. Though, Sam wasn't impressed by anyone of them, even a bit. He was there with no money, no family, and he had to even get his own spirit alone. Most of the kids were putting the facade of being special while putting little-to-no no effort. The most unusual thing was, the academy was somehow allowing all of it!
He wanted to complain, whine, or cry, but he couldn't, cause he was too busy minding his own business. Forget worrying about a magical staff, even a spirit was so hard to come by, it only flickered around a dead body for so little of time before fading away. Even if it did, it may be of a very weak animal, that he was hesitant to get as it really may be very important.
He went outside the academy — no luck, the kids were already there. He searched inside the academy grounds — no luck, the kids were already there. He went as far as searching through some areas he had explored in the capital city — no fucking luck, the fucking kids were already rushing through all the streets.
Alas, his short journey around every little place he knew ended in failure. He returned to his room, continued his mana and soul orb training for a bit, made sure to say goodnight to his roommate and then wept and slept.
***
3rd day.
He Woke up.
He did some menial tasks, and some core and orb training by the side.
He ate some bland food provided free in the cafeteria, and the rich kids bought some special exotic food to themselves.
He went outside the Academy and searched the outskirts a bit more.
No luck.
He returned, did some more training and slept while making sure to wish his chill roommate goodnight.
***
4th day.
He woke up.
He did some...
***
5th day.
He woke up.
...
***
6th day.
"FUCK! NO! This is too boring... What the fuck, why can't I find even a little weaker spirit. Why are all those greedy little small fucks getting it every single time. Most of them have their own parents too, why can't they ask them?! At this point, I don't even think I can progress in cultivation like this. Urgh..."
Sam then turned to one final thing, even though he knew it might not— it will not help him at all. "Ugh.. System... Please help me out.."
But, Unexpectedly...
[ Confirmed ]
[ Area marked on the Map tab for potential spirits. ]
"What the actual... Are you just telling me I could have done it that easily this whole time?! Fuck how could I be so stupid. I didn't think you would actually help me given how you treated me these past days. Alright I'll check it now.."
He checked the Map tab and immediately said out loud, "I take it back. You are actually useless you.. just fuck off.." The area marked by the system were so many and so big throughout the whole city he explored. He had just the day left and he couldn't have possibly covered all those locations in such a short deadline.
Nonetheless, he still hoped and set out by taking a step off his bed.
He did some menial tasks...
***
"Senior, you are so strong. Come on now, show me those Cultivation Techniques again!"
"Hehe maybe I will junior.. if you come to my room tonight."
"Oh! You are so naughty Senior Wu. Fine, I'll only visit if you buy me something right now."
"Anything for you my little Junior Ruby. What do you want gems, jewellery, or even some destiny related stuff like talismans or seals? Go ahead tell me, I can just spend all the money on my princess..."
'Urgh. Sometimes I wish that I just simply got burnt off very crispy in my room. Now I really wonder if relationships are meant to be this.. awful. This must be one hell of a fantasy for them to not mind that big of an age gap..' Sam wandered through the markets a bit more. He had already accepted that he wasn't going to do well tomorrow, so why not take this time and explore more of the city and update his map.
"Hm.. is there any free stuff.. probably not.." He sought out to window-shopping again. Which again hurt him every second.
"Come on kid, I know you want this. It's the LightGrip! A grimoire of spells. Although your teachers might say to avoid things like this, but take my word, it will be very beneficial to you. They are saying it all just to trick you, you know since they only like to make a profit for themselves. So how about it? For just 1 silver it can be yours."
The money system was pretty simple enough here too. Copper, Silver and Gold in the forms of bits, coins and notes. Bits were a smaller version of the coins and notes were made from thinning out the raw materials to a hair's breadth, which made a crisp sound when struck. Other than these, there were some special destiny specific currency because it was beneficial to the fated people, but obviously, only in circulation amongst the higher ups and gifted to the talented children.
Even Sam thought for a moment he should just sit out in the markets and beg for a few days. But he thought that might affect his image, given the daily rush of academy kids and also because he was lazy and liked to stay in his room more. He tended to blank out from time to time, in his own overthinking of a state, as the shopkeeper kept talking in the background.
"...Kid! Are you listening to me? Ok, how about this map? Some say that it will let you obtain the inheritance of the legendary—"
[ Notice : A Spirit is left unattended with no proximity of other humans. It was detected with the updating Map, and will fade away in 3 hours. ]
"... And as I said, he was so legendary that even people from the Western Continent—"
"Shut up uncle! System! Where is it?!" The old man was stunned. Sam quickly ran away from his stall.
He went behind the Gold-Liver Pub. Then took two right turns around the Petunia Street. He went there and there, and then also there. And then nervously, he entered a very deep and cramped up alleway.
Cough. Cough. "Heeyy.. bring me some booze please.. I'll do—"
Sneeze. "Kid, you know this is a shady place right?"
"Don't say that to him. Now kid, Empty your pockets right now!"
Sam sharply said, "Shut up. I'm broke too, like you people. Now let me have my way!" Sam expected a struggle, but he still went brushing past the people as they were pretty weak to argue it out with a small kid.
Another step into a rotting alley. Then a few steps back in the bullshit and creepy passages. Finally he reached it, the place where the system last directed him into, while panting quite heavily.
"Hahh.. Hahh.. is-is.. is this it? System.." Sam asked persistently, but he currently needed no confirmation. The gutted out, and a very small dog-like carcass lay at his feet.
[ Would you like to go over the procedure of absorbing the spirit again? ] - [ Yes/No ]
"No.. I remember it.. I'll do it myself..."
Sam started by first absorbing the Qi in the air while putting his right hand out. It looked as if even the dead flesh was going inside his soul orb in small amounts. Then suddenly, to the unknown flesh, his body reacted as if it was poison. He immediately yanked his hand and expelled everything out. It made the corpse look like even more of a mess.
He vomited to his side, on the wall. "Dammit.. it feels like.. my hand will explode if I do this any longer. System, is it really this tough?" This time the Monotone voice didn't answer. "Oh right. Gonna shut up when it's not in your benefit. Urgh."
The other kids however had no problem managing it, as they were either used to this old era and their weird cultures, or because they obviously had external help. Apparently, there was a way to do it without these mushy impurities. Money is one part and the special artifacts to store spirits directly is the other part of that popular way.
"...No pain, No gain.. right?" Sam looked at his hands again. "Ugh.. I don't want to affirm to these bullshit quotes.. looks like I'll have to waste a healing potion for my headache later.."
He made up his mind, and put out his hand again. "Alright, let's do this.. please be something good.." he said as he started absorbing it again.
He had to use both of hands just to hold back the pain that came with it. It was like something was moving through under his hands, fingers, nails, and also like burning it at the same instant, as those intense condensations of the energies were necessary. He held it out, a bit longer, and a bit more longer. Until he finally heard the robotic voice and the corpse was almost wholly absorbed.
"Hahh... I did it.. Hahh.. Oh my.. it's so cool and relieving now that it's done. Ohh.. it's like having a massage.." Then the messages popped infront of his eyes.
[ Soul Orb has assimilated and absorbed the spirit along with its flesh. ]
[ You have binded the Wolf Spirit in your Soul Orb. ]
[ System rewards you with 2 Destiny Points ]
[ The Remains of its body are still seen as impurities. Would you like to convert them? ] - [ Yes/No ]
"What?! It was a wolf! Oh.. so small.. so it must be a young one. Rest in pieces little bro, you benefited me so much. I can't even thank you in words. Although you may live on as my spirit." Sam took a silent minute to digest the news while holding his hands together. Then he got back to reality. "Alright now what is it again? Convert? Well I don't see the harm in it. Sure do it."
[ Confirmed ]
[ Spirit Reconstruction and species change will start now, from the assimilation of flesh of its body. ]
"Reconstruction?? Wha-"
Suddenly lights shot out from his hands and a mini explosion happened as the flesh that his orb spit out was very drained.. of mostly everything other than the dark organic waste. He lifted his hand up to his face to see the change.
"Woah. System.. I don't like this. What did you do to my spirit..." His doubts got immediately answered by the sounds.
[ Reconstruction complete ]
[ The Species of Spirit has evolved from Wolf to Dire-Wolf ]
[ The Weakness and Faults from the spirit being young is also removed by reconstruction ]
[ System awards you 1 destiny point ]
"What? What's the difference? Urgh.. forget it, since it's an evolution.. it's probably something better.. Thanks anyways. I guess I can trust you more now, system. But don't mess with me so much.."
"So a Dire-Wolf huh.. I wonder what it can do.." He put out his hand and shouted. "Come out buddy!"
Nothing happened.
"Hahh.. obviously not.."
[ The Spirit doesn't feel like it has formed much of a connection to you. ]
"Wha-What? Whyyy not.. what did I do wrong..."
[ The Spirit feels you brutally destroyed its original body and forcibly absorbed it. ]
"Uh.. Fuck. Oh.. my Dire-Wolf I'm so sorry.. please talk to me.. I didn't mean to do that.. I mean it was just a corpse— I mean Please don't do me like this, I have enough problems.." He looked towards his hands but didn't feel much. "System, did it work? What does he feel now.."
[ The Spirit is more displeased with your lack of empathy. ]
"Oh Great! Like I could care less. I'm stressed out too you know—"
[ It feels that burying... Taking what's left of its body and placing it somewhere open would be good. ]
[ A good start. ]
"Oh.. uh sure.. whatever you say, oh my little spirit. I'll do it even if I don't like it. Just please let me use your powers sooner. But no worries.. I'll wait, although I'm not that patient. No! Even though I'm completely disgusted by this stupi— wholesome act of burying your remains.. I'll do it, wholeheartedly. So come out and give me a good show tonight, alright?"
With that, he placed the bloody mass in a polythene bag he picked up from nearby in the alley. While internally making persistent requests towards the spirit.