On a training field that was lavish, well, compared to Ash's previous living conditions at least, the grass shimmered like polished emerald under the violet noon. The field was at least two football fields big, it had numerous training dummies forged from dark spirit-iron, glistening crystals that were embedded on the sides pulsing with restrained mana, and much more: weapon racks that hummed faintly, floating orbs that recorded every strike, even a gentle breeze that carried the scent of blooming star-lilies from the royal gardens beyond.
However, in the midst of all of this beauty, an ugly showcase was on display.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
The impacts cracked through the air like thunderclaps, each one driving Ash deeper into the soft earth.
"Haha, pathetic loser," a young man sneered as he kicked and threw a flurry of blows onto another male. The young man was Draven Solace; he had short spiky hair that was black with white tips catching the strange purple sunlight like frost on obsidian. He stood at about 6 foot 2 inches tall and had a lean build that showcased his muscles rippling beneath the sleeveless training tunic like living steel cables.
BANG!
BANG!
"Tsk, I can't believe you are somehow my little brother," he said after giving his last kick, the final blow spinning Ash through the air before he crashed and rolled across the grass.
That's right, the person who was just being pummeled was his younger brother. Ash Solace, the youngest prince of the Solace Kingdom. And also, the newly transmigrated Ash.
He laid down in the field with a bruised and swollen face, blood trickling from split lips, one eye already puffing shut. His eyes were barely opened as he stared at the skies above that looked nothing like the sky of Earth.
It was the middle of the day, but the sky was a beautiful pastel purple, vast and dreamlike, and there were also occasional meteor-like objects flying by: glowing shards of distant things he couldn't make out tearing across the heavens in slow, majestic arcs that left trails of glittering dust.
'I'm really here,' Ash thought to himself as his lips bled, and his eyes strained to stay opened. The pain was a white-hot anchor keeping him conscious. He couldn't believe it, but it turned out he truly wasn't dreaming. And not just that.
'And… I really died.'
The realization of this didn't hit him too hard. He for one didn't have anyone that would miss him, but still dying was never something one wanted to happen… or was it? It was something hard to truly know, it was scary… it was perhaps one of the biggest unknowns, a black door he had already stepped through without choosing to.
However, he had dealt with it now that he was here. He was not one to complain, he would accept the situation and then move on.
He groaned a bit as he felt his ribs aching, sharp knives twisting with every breath, but he manned up as he struggled to sit upright, grass staining the rich fabric of a body that wasn't truly his. As he did this he began to think of this world, memories of late-night reading flooding back in crystal clarity.
"Right, 'Ten Thousand Kingdoms, One Sky'," he muttered, voice rough and cracked.
This was one of the newer novels he had just recently begun reading. It had only a few chapters out and he had bought a thin copy of the first volume of the novel, which lasted all about 75 chapters, pages he had devoured in a single fevered night.
What he knew was that this world, Elaris, it was one that had countless kingdoms. Each and every one of these kingdoms sought for one thing, and that was a spot on the 10,000-kingdom ranking. Gaining a spot on this ranking meant having resources and power.
The story followed the protagonist, Kale Voss. He was the illegitimate son of a king from an unranked kingdom that clichély rose from nothing into a powerhouse-level threat. After awakening at the age of 16, he gained a cosmic-ranked physique. Once he achieved this, he left his kingdom with hopes of raising his kingdom to the top. However, his adventure turned into him picking up women like Pokémon.
Long story short he built his power and companions up until he challenged the true rulers of this world.
"The Elaris Empire…" Ash said as he felt a headache coming on.
Both metaphorically and physically. The reason was because he was currently in line for a sure death. During the protagonist's adventure around the age of 17 he would come here, the Solace Kingdom.
Not only that, but he would also conquer the entire kingdom from his mother to his sisters; they will all join his harem. All while he dies like some third-rate villain and his brothers and father follow the protagonist like some idiots.
'Status.'
He said and in the next moment a blue transparent screen showed, shimmering in the air like heat haze. In this world everyone had a status screen that tracked their progression.
[Ash Solace
Race – Human
Age – 17
Rank – E (Existence Level – 1)
Talent – Shitty
Affinity – N/A]
If not for the excruciating pain, he was feeling right now he would be face-palming. This situation no matter how he looked at it was not good at all. Seeing that he was now 17, but yet still alive; that meant Kale had yet to come here. It was good for now, but all in all, he was doomed. He sighed before moving forward.
'No sense in sulking about it, what's done is done.' After he thought this, he turned his focus to something else. He clearly remembered the cold and emotionless voice from before and like all novels, if he got transmigrated, he should've gotten a golden finger… right?
"System…" he called out like any normal transmigrator would do. However, to his surprise, a system didn't respond but instead a black screen showed that had white writing, materializing with the weight of inevitability.
{Existential Karmic Debt – 10 Random Gacha Draws}
{Note: Anything gained will be yours without any outside influence. After these 10, your access to the Treasury of Reality will be removed. Also, you won't receive any other helps.}
The moment he finished reading the screen warped and flashed ten times in an instant, each flash a supernova behind his eyes. He didn't have time to see any of the treasures or even see anything be chosen. However, the moment everything disappeared new messages showed in his face.
[Bloodline of Eternal Bond | Rank??? - Eons ago, every goddess, empress, and fairy queen all shared one lover. When he died, the bloodline vanished.... With this bloodline, every woman the user sleeps with or kisses becomes bonded.
They both get stronger, more beautiful with each intimate act. The user will receive their talents, affinities memories, bloodline, and mana capacity. The user can choose three items per entity to be enhanced 100-fold excluding memories.]
[Phoenix Nirvana Flame | Rank ??? - Flames born from the first tears of the Phoenix Progenitor. As she underwent nirvana for the first time, nine tears fell into the void and became flames, waiting for a soul bold enough to carry the burden of endless rebirth.
The user can resurrect nine times in perfect condition. The last time will result in erasure.]
[ Bonded Ten-Tailed Celestial Fox Contract | Rank ??? - Long before the era of kings, a woman, Vaeloria, bargained with the moon itself for eternal beauty and power. The moon granted her nine silver tails but demanded her freedom in exchange. When she tried to break the pact, lunar chains shattered her body and bound her soul into a single obsidian contract stone. She remains imprisoned, cursed to serve and grow alongside the one man who can awaken her forbidden tenth tail through mortal passion.
S Ranked Tamed Beast.]
[Primordial Sin Scripture – Lust | Rank??? - Before mana ever took form, the seven living Sins roamed as titanic beings of pure desire and ruin. Lust was the most beautiful and most feared. When the first chains of laws formed to bind them, Lust willingly tore her own heart free and cast it into the void, whispering that one day a mortal would wear it as a crown and make the entire world kneel to wanting. That heart has waited ever since for its true king.
Grants unparalleled beauty, Lust Embodiment (Partially Sealed), Charm]
Absolute Null Zone | Rank??? - In the War of Shattered Laws, the Void Dragon King devoured an entire celestial law of mana itself. When he was slain, his dying breath crystallized into a single black scale that nullifies everything it touches.
Once per day the user can cast zone that nullifies all mana, affinities, and skills in their mana sense radius.]
[Eyes of First Dawn | Rank ??? - From the very first light that ever existence, these eyes were formed. Never before possessed and without any knowledge of them on any cosmic ranking these eyes and their prowess is vastly unknown.
Once per day the user can blink and witness the complete, accurate timeline of the next 24 hours as if living it. User may act with perfect foreknowledge for that day.]
[Ring of Infinite Storage & Instant Retrieval | Rank ??? - Unlimited storage.]
[Perfect Disguise Veil | Rank ??? - The Faceless Empress ruled twelve continents by never showing the same face twice. On the day she was betrayed, her ever-shifting skin peeled away and became a living veil, looking for someone worthy to wear her deception.
Once per day, perfect mimic of any appearance, aura, voice, bloodline, and cultivation base personally witnessed (24 h).]
Singularity Genesis Physique | Rank ??? - At the exact center of the universe, before creation, there was a single point that contained everything and nothing. When the cosmos exploded outward, one microscopic fragment of that point lodged itself into a mortal bloodline and waited through eternity.
The user will passively gain +0.1 Existence Level per day.
The physique will also provide multipliers for certain actions. Such as
– Intense training or sex ×10
– Life-and-death battle ×50
– Consuming cosmic treasures ×100
The user must experiment on their own to learn more.]
[Ever-Calm Haven | Rank ??? - The Wandering Sage built a tiny courtyard where he could rest between worlds. When he finally ascended, the courtyard refused to fade. It shrank into a coin-sized tattoo and now follows the one fated to never know peace otherwise.
Time inside flows at 1:10 ratio (10 hours inside = 1 hour outside).
Completely sealed from all detection, divination, and tracking.
Food/water/air auto-regenerates; wounds heal 10× faster; cultivation speed ×5 inside.
User can enter/exit instantly, alone or with anyone they physically touch.
No combat use, no size increase, just the ultimate safe room, meditation chamber, and rest stop that follows you everywhere.]
{Items can be found in Status menu. Goodbye.}
The familiar sound of the cold emotionless woman sounded in his ears the moment he finished reading all the absurd things he just received, a final nail in the coffin of his old life. However, before he could even check them out.
"Ashy!"
The sound of a young woman could be heard as he heard footsteps hurriedly approaching him, soft soles slapping against the grass in frantic rhythm.
'Eh? Ashy?' he thought, mind still reeling from God-tier loot, before he felt himself engulfed into a hug, warm, desperate arms crushing his bruised ribs and filling his nose with the scent of moon-lilies and worry.