Bloodline: A LitRPG Adventure (The Root of All Evil Book 1), page 26
Parelius Tiberius read over the report with wary eyes. The entire Miridion Forest had gone dark for ten minutes.
The symbologists he had organized to penetrate his brother’s newly crafted darkness symbols had only been days away from the forest. Now he didn’t need them at all. Whatever Marcus had been planning was complete. His fingers curled at the idea of his brother winning even the slightest victory.
“You always had that annoying luck,” Parelius said.
Next to the report on his brother was another stack of papers. These were smaller in size, but far more numerous. Each one dealt with his sons, Christoff and Jasper. Some detailed the destruction of several drinking establishments in the city of Tiber that Christoff visited, and others outlined a case of mysterious explosions and golem attacks that had wiped out houses of people that had been seen insulting the heir.
Others were more mundane in nature. One city official’s child had decided that Jasper would be an easy target for bullying. A common sight, but Jasper’s lack of retaliation had left others wondering if the heir to House Tiberius was too weak to be a leader. Each report fueled whispers that his children were unfit to command. Parelius had no doubt that enemy spies had spread the rumors to destabilize his authority.
Only his daughter, Ayia, had given him reason for approval. The Unseeing were considering her application into their ranks. If they accepted, then House Tiberius’ position of power would be cemented. If they refused, then his enemies would continue to hound him.
“Vultures.”
All over the continent people watched his every move. Rival households looked for an opportunity to strike, his tenuous eastern allies asked for more coin, and members of the old Tiberius household stirred. The view from Halcyon Mountain was unparalleled, and he could see everyone below him, but he knew they were looking up at him in return.
Those that were watching him expected him to react. His response for each obstacle would have to be measured and perfect. So, he flourished his quill in hand and wrote a response to each case.
The issue with his brother came first.
Marcus was a husk of his former self ever since his son had died, but even a husk of a dangerous man was still dangerous. It was clear that the darkness had been a signal.
Parelius may have been the patriarch of the Tiberius household, but there were still a few old holdouts that only listened to those that bore the Crest. Those traitors had moved as far from the current Tiberius household as possible, with most making their way to the old Tiberius households’ center of power, Zendria, or setting up shop near it. They were old fogies holding on to old memories and values, but that was where he needed to look, and if he found the embers of a rebellion then he would snuff it out before it began.
Parelius rang a bell by his side and an attendant walked through the doors, waiting patiently for his orders. He paused, and a smile crept over his lips. Maybe he could kill two birds with one stone.
“Send word for my two sons to report to me in person. They’ll be going to Zendria.”
Dollar was fourteen years old on Earth when his grandmother started whipping him into shape. He was thrown into several different industries, both white collar and blue collar, and there was one, in particular, he remembered. At the time she wanted him to be part of a construction project as a very, very junior trainee. He had been arrogant, and cocky, thinking that he could take on any task. Then, he got distracted and nudged the wrong end of an active power saw.
One visit to the hospital later, he had a permanent scar on his arm. It taught him a valuable lesson. Before he could even think of making money, or doing a job right, he had to know the tools of the trade. And he had to know how to survive.
Light stabbed Dollar’s eyes as he returned from Spectral Regalia to Ioa, the darkness of the [class] realm immediately beaten back by Ioa’s sun. A cool breeze tickled his face, and he could once again hear the call of his symbols as they celebrated his return.
Dollar Tiberius was back.
The moment he felt his feet touch the ground he dove to the side, his shoulder crashing into the ground and panic rising in his chest. He was trying to dodge the incoming ball of fiery death that had been crashing into him when he had left.
Instead, he found empty air. The monster was gone.
A quick look around revealed scorched grass, destroyed boulders, and a mountain of bird bones. The creature had decimated the guard’s picnic. Pieces of armor were spread across the ground and the vegetables and desserts had disappeared completely. He grew more certain that the monster had gone, but to be safe he brought out his notebook from his storage ring and activated his sound symbols to silence his footsteps. The beast wouldn’t be able to sneak up on him, but it was fast so he would need to hear it coming to dodge it.
Dollar walked under floating islands until he reached the picnic area and paused as he saw a figure lying on the ground.
It was the body of the guard.
He walked up to the man that had only minutes ago been alive and getting ready for a picnic. The guard’s death was senseless, and chaotic. If it hadn’t been for the grudge his uncle had against his father, then this man wouldn’t have been here at all.
Maybe if I hadn’t existed… No, that kind of thinking would only lead to problems.
Above all this man had been sent here to kill him and his family. That was why they had been stationed at this outpost in the first place, and why they had been armed. If the man had known Dollar existed, then it would have been reported without hesitation, or he would have tried to cut down Dollar on the spot.
“I need to try out some stuff, but I’ll try to be respectful about it,” Dollar said.
A blue box appeared at Dollar’s prompting, and he read over it carefully. It was a new feature of the [class] he had received only moments before.
Level shift (billions): Gain levels by increasing your total net worth. Loss of net worth will not revert levels. Net worth value will be measured in standard currency of Ioa.
If the man was dead, then technically his things were ownerless. Which meant he could claim them for himself without issue.
Right?
Dollar knelt next to the body and examined the man. Despite the glow it had during the fight, his sword looked ordinary, which was a pity. He couldn’t take everything he owned. Or even most of it. If he did, then the other guards would know that somebody had been here, and they would question who it was. He couldn’t even cover the man’s wound or try to close his eyes, for fear of the same issue. It was vital that the scene remained looking like a random monster had attacked it without anybody else being here.
Instead, he searched the guard’s pockets for loose change, trying to keep it as respectful as he could.
A couple of minutes later, he opened his palm and beheld the spoils of his looting.
Five bronze coins.
He was rich.
[You have reached level 14.]
[You have gained a level: +10 free stat points.]
Level 14?
More boxes appeared, older than the latest one.
[Congratulations! You have reached level 11.]
[You have gained a level: +10 free stat points.]
[You have reached level 12.]
[You have gained a level: +10 free stat points.]
[You have reached level 13.]
[You have gained a level: +10 free stat points.]
He vaguely recalled that the boxes had been automatically dismissed the moment he got back to Ioa, mostly because he was concentrating on not getting skewered by a monster. But he dismissed them after reading them carefully. He was already seeing major benefits from his new [class].
Dollar’s attention once again turned to the guard.
“I’m not sure if you worshipped any of the gods in this world, but if you did then I hope they give you a good afterlife.”
With a final bow of respect, he turned around and left.
Seven hours had passed since Dollar had escaped Miridion Forest and in that time he had crept along the moving plains, growing more confident with every step. The grassy knolls that moved up and down looked like they would descend and smash him to pieces, but they were harmless by themselves, and he had even gone under one as it was crashing into the ground. It had slowed down and rolled to the side, avoiding him on purpose.
When he was certain that no more guards were in the area and the monster was nowhere to be seen, he slowed down and put together a list of his thoughts. Most of them focused on what he had learned about his level shift—billions.
Dollar typed them into The System, creating a note that would exist as long as he was alive.
1. Right now, around 5–7 bronze coins = 1 level. Leveling is not linear, each new level requires more assets accumulated to advance than the one before it.
2. Clothes are likely counted as assets.
3. I would need more assets per level to reach the next level. (Is there a formula behind this increase?)
4. My body does not count as an asset. Even though I’m priceless. Pity.
5. The food in my storage ring does not count as an asset.
6. The storage ring doesn’t count as an asset. Strange. Is it because technically my father still owns it? Or does it need to be a bonded artifact to count?
7. The Crest is not included in my assets. Otherwise, I would have skyrocketed in levels. This can likely be changed.
8. My [class] and [skills] don’t count as my assets for the same reason listed above.
9. My symbols don’t count as assets, whether known or crafted. Tested multiple times by crafting symbols, in an attempt to increase my assets.
Most of it was a list of what didn’t help him level, but that knowledge was still valuable. However, he could feel that some of it was incorrect. When he concentrated on his level shifting most of the objects he held felt strange, as though connected to him, but only partially. His dagger almost felt like it was a part of him, and a gentle push was all it would take for the dagger to accept him as its owner. The notebook of the Unseeing was the same, its eye watching him closely as he examined it. Only the Crest felt far away from him, but not unreachable.
Soon, he felt he would be able to claim all of them as his own and reap the benefits.
‘Hmm, knowledge is valuable. Does that make knowledge an asset?’
Dollar paused for a moment to see if The System would give him a level up for acknowledging the value of the knowledge he held, but there was no response.
“Drat.”
10. Knowledge is not an asset.
Of course, he hadn’t spent all his time thinking about The System, each new step was a new experience in a foreign land. It was magical, and it was terrifying.
His new [skills] were begging to be tested, but first he needed to confirm he was safe.
Dollar ran through the bluest of grasses, bugs scattering at his feet, and clambered onto slow-moving grassy knolls and bounced on patches of flowers. He hid behind rocks bigger than him to provide protection against prying eyes and drew symbols as a precaution. His first encounter with his uncle’s guard and the monster hadn’t left his mind, but he encountered nothing on the way.
Eventually, he stopped and gazed over the edge of the moving plains. The shifting earth was moving slower here, each island creeping over the air and chugging along as best they could. In these outskirts it was clear that the spell was at its weakest, and their lethargy conjured the image of elderly men and women taking their time and enjoying life.
Rocks, grass, and water entered his vision as the sun rained down drops of light across his arms and back. A thin sheen of sweat formed at the kiss of the heat; his fingers raked across his hair and made their way down toward his neck.
“This will do,” Dollar said.
Dollar stopped within a slope in the ground surrounded by giant stones. It was his first break since he had left Spectral Regalia. The sun gazed down at him, but it was mostly blocked by the stones and floating earth around him. It was a naturally shaded area, and even had a creek nearby, which meant it was the perfect place to rest.
He found a rock slightly bigger than his body and sat against it with a content sigh, the fresh air fluttering through his robes and caressing his cheeks.
This is nice, Dollar thought. Grandmother would have enjoyed developing this area into a new shopping mall.
The thought of his grandmother back on Earth discovering this magical land brought a smile to his face. She had always had a rock-iron will, so he was sure she would have taken the change in stride and focused on how to make the most of it. For his part, he was content to explore for now. Ioa’s southern continent was known for its grassy plains and gentle creeks. Though most of them were immobile and didn’t fly like the one he was in. To the west there was a desert, though his mother’s map told him he wouldn’t pass it on his journey, and to the south lay the ocean, Grai.
The Grai Ocean was his destination.
Specifically, he needed to reach Zendria, the flying city.
Marcus had been intent on teaching him all about Zendria and its history, but between the symbol learning and [skill] training he had only managed to learn the key facts. Which was all he needed. However, just like the moving plains the description his parents had given him, the flying city was something he needed to see to believe. His father had told him it would take him six weeks to get there. He intended to make it within four.
“Achimedes, the tailor.”
He whispered the name, having long memorized it.
That was the person his father wanted him to contact when he reached the flying city. Apparently, the tailor was an old friend, and loyal to those that held the Crest. Once that had been his father, now it was his turn to inherit that loyalty. His father had told him that the tailor had moved to Zendria from the city of Tiber only a few years ago, setting up his trade after taking out numerous loans to support the move. How Marcus knew this, or obtained any of his information, was still a mystery to Dollar.
For obvious reasons his father couldn’t contact anyone to pick him up directly, let alone Achimedes himself, but the map was easy enough to follow. It even detailed where Achimedes’s shop was located within Zendria, with a step-by-step guide written by Althea. After cutting through the moving plains, he would be led by the nearby road directly to Gresha, the town that governed this area, and then the road continued past a few more towns until it stopped at Zendria.
Dollar looked past the edge of the plains and caught a glimpse of the road in question. It was blue, and extremely long.
A sigh escaped him.
I wish I had a car, Dollar thought.
It wasn’t all bad. There were wonders all around him ripe for exploration.
The System note section was quickly filling up with questions and information. He was making a list of every piece of technology he saw. Any little thing could become vital information for when he set up a business.
He wrote down a lot of questions.
What material does the road use? Is it cheap?
Why is it blue?
Were the roads created by artifacts or by hand? Or using [skills]?
Are they commissioned by the emperor?
Do houses in bigger and richer areas have brick walls?
If not, is that just because nobody bothered?
If every answer is yes, could I create an artifact that provides brick houses to those who want them, but don’t have them, and can afford them?
Well, he obviously wasn’t going to get into the bricklaying business, but these were the types of questions that he had to ask. Eventually, he would find a problem in an area that could easily be eliminated or temporarily treated by him.
That was where the money was. Which was why he got to work immediately.
Dollar sat down, feeling the gentle caress of blue grass against his clothes and hands as he ran his fingers across the ground. His body trembled in anticipation, and he thought about the one [skill] he had always known he would test first.
“[A Will Eternal],” Dollar said.
The moment he spoke the breeze that laced across his body froze, and the grass underneath him rustled warily. Each one could sense a change about him, and Dollar felt it as well. Grasping at his insides was an ethereal sensation of loss and fulfillment. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he had discovered something new and untouched within himself.
It was the sensation of feeling his soul.
“Kneel.”
Nature shuddered as he spoke, his command carrying across the fields and flying through the wind. The grass bowed low by his side and the wind passed across his clothes as gentle as a mother’s touch.
Thump.
A single object fell from the sky, sending a spray of dirt up into the air. It was a floating island.
Thump.
More islands fell, one by one, and across his vision he saw the rocks of the slope tilting precariously, each one trying to follow his command.
Everything had fallen.
Dollar clutched at his heart. The aspect of his being that he had felt unlocking only moments before had started to drain away. It didn’t hurt, but he sensed that he would already be too far gone if it did. If it truly was his soul, then he didn’t want to risk finding out what would happen once it evaporated completely.
With a thought [A Will Eternal] deactivated, and the world around him breathed a sigh of relief.
“Perfect,” he smiled. “Absolutely perfect.”
There were other [skills] to test, and he intended to learn as much as he could about himself today. The rocks around him quivered as his gaze fell onto them. For a thousand years, they had remained unsullied, but no longer.
29
DEFYING DEATH IS EASY UNTIL YOU SEE YOUR TAXES
Dollar flew from rock to rock, soaring with excitement as his chalk weaved its magic. Sound symbols, wood symbols, darkness and even water. There would be no holds barred today. Each symbol had [Ength’s Touch] applied to it, making it 20 percent more efficient and effective.
