System Change

“You want to bring your friends with you when you ascend?” Dave asked.

“Yes,” Derek said. “I don’t want to have to leave everything that I’ve built here behind. I don’t know if I’ll be able to come back when I advance, so, at all possible, I want… need… to be able to bring them with me. At least, those who choose to follow.”

“You would want to take the young smith and the spear boy with you, yes?” Dave asked, causing Derek to frown.

“Absolutely,” Derek said. “If I can find a way to safely take them with me, then there is no way I wouldn’t unless they didn’t want to.”

“Hmm…” Dave muttered. His hind instinctively moved to his chin while he thought about the question. Derek held his breath, knowing that, if anyone would know if he could help his friends, it would be Dave. “That would be quite the blow…” Dave muttered almost silently, Derek barely heard what he said, and wasn’t sure if he even heard correctly.

“What was that?” Derek asked.

“It was nothing…” Dave waved Derek’s question off. “About your question. I… cannot answer it at this time.”

“Can not, or will not?” Derek asked.

Dave looked sharply at Derek, then said, “Does it make a difference? Either way, you will not receive an answer to that question today. But perhaps… the next time we speak.”

Of course it makes a difference, Derek wanted to say, but then, he was just thinking about how Dave didn’t have to answer any questions at all. “For now…” Derek said. “I guess it doesn’t. But if I ascend before we speak again…”“You won’t,” Dave said with a smile, the serious and thoughtful expression on his face replaced with his casual demeanor once again.

“Okay?” Derek didn’t know what to say.

“Since I was not able to answer that question, you may replace it with another,” Dave said.

“Oh,” Derek replied, happy that Dave was letting him continue on, but still a touch emotional that he wouldn’t give him an answer to the question he wanted to know the answer to most. “In that case… I have some Skill Upgrade Points available that were given to me by the Origin System. Are those something that I should…”

“Save them!” Dave leaned forward and said. “You must not spend them on anything you currently have.” Dave tisk’d and shook his head. “You are a very lucky human.”

“So… they’re good?” Derek asked.

“Good?” Dave chuckled. “The Upgrade Points given by our system are just a pale imitation of those given by the Origin System.”

“Oh?”

“Yes,” Dave said. “Any skill… any skill in the universe,” he continued. “They can be used to upgrade unless it is maxed.”

“Isn’t that basically the same as the normal ones?” Derek asked.

“No,” Dave replied. “It is not. Those points can only be used to upgrade skills you obtain here, of this tier. The others… can be used on any skill, of any tier. Remember, we spoke about your two skills that do not have levels that are not your storage skill?”

“Yeah?” Derek asked.

“You could use it on them if you so choose to do so,” Dave replied. “They were rewarded from the Origin System and are much higher tier than the others. Though, even when you are able to level them, I suggest you save the Origin Points and do not squander them when they are at a lower level.”

“So, basically use them the same as the other ones, but on the better skills,” Derek said. “Got it.”

“Good,” Dave replied. “Now, what else? I will answer one final question.”

Derek frowned, thinking about the other questions he had. None were as important as the ones he already asked—at least to him, at the moment. Should I ask more about my Mythical Class? What about Klaus and all the questions I ended up with after talking to him? I’m also interested in how the World Boss came about, but I don’t think it would be worth wasting a question on that. Hmm… Derek also touched his chin in thought.

“It is not easy, is it?” Dave asked.

“What?”

“Thinking of a question to ask when you have so many in mind,” the elf answered.

“No, it isn’t,” Derek said. “Not at all.”

Dave smiled, then brought his cup up to his mouth and took a sip as he waited. Even though he said that he didn’t have a lot of time, he didn’t seem to be becoming impatient or anything.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

“Ingredients!” Silvi half-should. “We should about getting more ingredients from him!”

“That…” Derek didn’t know what to say. He wanted information, and she just wanted Dave to give her something straight up.

“Unfortunately, Ms. Silvi,” Dave replied to the bunny. “I am currently unable to give you any ingredients. But, rest assured, once you advance to the Origin System, no ingredient will be out of your reach as long as you can pay the cost.”

“Mhm…” Silvi nodded in confirmation. “We need to level.”

“We will…” Derek said. “We will.” Then, there was one question left that stuck out to him just a bit more than any of his others. Though it was a question that he would likely be able to find out for himself. Still, it would be good to know, so I don’t waste time or end up in danger, he thought. “I got it.”

“Yes?” Dave asked. “What would you like to know?”

“Would it be okay… to travel to Earth?” Derek asked.

“You wish to travel back to your home world?” Dave asked.

“Yes,” Derek said. “And I know I can do it. I can feel some of the people I was… acquainted with before I left. They are far away, and I think it would take a lot of effort, but with my Void Travel skill, I think I can make it. And if I can make it there, then I can make it back.”

“Hmm…” Dave rubbed his chin once again. “That is an interesting question, too. You have surprised me yet again.”

“So, what do you think?” Derek asked. “You said that if I were to somehow end up back on a planet with the Universal System, it wouldn’t take over like this one did. Earth is part of that system, so would anything go wrong if I go back? To visit before I advance?”

“Oh, dear…” Dave chuckled. “That would be something interesting, indeed. But I really do not believe you would have anything to worry about,” he finally answered.

“Really?” Derek asked.

“Well,” Dave started. “With your strength, I think you will be okay.”

“What does my strength have to do with it?” Derek asked.

“Well, how are creatures not of the… Great System treated here?” Dave asked.

“They… Void Beasts…” Derek muttered, realizing what Dave was getting at. “So, I’d be like… worth an Achievement… or Title for the folks back on Earth if I go there?”

“I would assume so,” Dave said. “But, as I said, I don’t believe you have anything to fear as long as you make your time there brief. I would not suggest staying there for an extended amount of time, though. A few hunters here and there won’t be able to cause you any harm, but it is not impossible that the Universal System creates a quest for you to be hunted. Then, those few hunters who try to Identify you and receive notice that you are not from the Universal System may turn into dozens, hundreds… thousands or more… even.”

“Oh…” Derek muttered.

“There are few things more helpful to a system than the slaying of someone or something that is bound to another system,” Dave replied.

“Wait…” Derek said. “But I was from another system when I came here.”

“Yes, you were,” Dave said. “And you are very welcome.”

Derek’s mouth hung open at that realization. Finally, he decided to ask, “Why is that so beneficial to the system, anyway?”

“Uh-uh-uh,” Dave moved his index finger back and forth. “You have already asked your third question.”

“Dang…” Derek muttered under his breath. He asked a question and now had a question that he was very interested in knowing the answer to. He clicked his tongue and continued speaking about his previous question. “So, some people on Earth may try to take make out when they see me, and the other system might issue something like a bounty on my head while I’m there. That’s all?”

“That is all I believe you will have to worry about,” Dave chuckled. “Others… well, you showing up may send some others in a tizzy. It would be quite fun to watch.”

“Another question you won’t answer, right?” Derek asked.

“Indeed,” Dave replied. “But, to straightforwardly answer your question, it is most definitely safe for you to visit Earth as long as you do not extend your stay. Unless you don’t mind slaughtering dozens and dozens of system users who are only trying to do what the system asks.”

“I guess that would depend on the people,” Derek said. “But yes, I get what you mean. I think… I will visit Earth once I reach level 251, then.”

“No,” Dave said. “If you wish to go, it would be best to do so before you complete the second requirement.”

“Why?” Derek asked. “What difference does it make?”

“Well, being level 251 and having the requirements met would be completely unknown territory to me. I cannot guarantee something unfortunate won’t happen if you go after you have the requirements met,” Dave explained. “There are just too many variables to consider doing it that way. So yes, please do go, but only before you reach the level.”

“Oh… I guess that makes sense,” Derek said. “But wouldn’t the Origin System watch me there, just like it does here? And if something goes wrong, wouldn’t I just be able to ascend?”

“And leave all those you care about behind?” Dave raised his brow. “That is to say, if there is a way to bring them with you, of course. If not, would you wish to ascend without saying goodbye?”

Derek’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything. Dave seemed to be pretty intent on Derek not leaving after meeting the requirements. “Fine, I will go before I level,” Derek finally said.

“Good choice,” Dave replied—seemingly relieved.

I wonder what had him so worked up, Derek thought. Finally, he shrugged, then asked Silvi, “Do you want to see my home world?”

“Will there be ingredients?” Silvi asked.

“I’m not sure how wise it would be to kill things there, unless we have to,” Derek said, then he looked at Dave and said, “You know… with us being so close to reaching the second requirement.”

“Indeed,” Dave said.

Derek felt like, if he wanted to at that moment, he would be able to push things and get more answers from Dave, or maybe even some ingredients for Silvi. However, he also felt that doing so may get rid of any of the goodwill he had built up with the man. So, he decided not to push. But that didn’t mean that he wasn’t going to ask about something that had been in his mind since Alanah mentioned it before her ascension. It was something that he really didn’t care if he got an answer to or not, so that’s why he saved the question until he’d asked the important ones.

“Dave,” Derek said.

“Yes?”

“Is the Great System really called the Davenresh System?” he asked.

“What?” Dave’s eyes widened. “How…”

“Well, Alanah told me that she would be traveling from the Davenresh System,” Derek said. “Not to mention, you haven’t exactly been subtle about not liking calling it the ‘Great System,’ and there’s the fact that you have slipped up and almost called it that on more than one occasion.”

“I see…” Dave said. “Well, it isn’t actually a secret.” He shrugged. “The notifications come up as ‘The Great System’ because it is what caught on with the users, so that is what appears. It is tailored to the person.”

“So… it will come up as Davenresh for me now? You know, since I know its actual name?” Derek asked.

“Yes,” Dave said.

“And why is it called the Davenresh System?” Derek asked.

“Who knows?” Dave replied with a smile. “While I may not consider your knowledge about it as part of your questions… that, I’m afraid, is another question.”

“I see,” Derek chuckled. “It was worth a shot.”

“It was,” Dave said with a laugh, then his expression changed to one of seriousness. “Now, it’s time that I asked some questions of my own.”