Friends and Changes

Rowan surveyed the two people he was with. Feng was showing improvements in his own right but this was technically the first time that Rowan had met Feng's master and he had to admit the man seemed interesting. He clearly had a time attunement evident of the time ability he displayed, but at the same time he was also a seer. Rowan's vision that could encompass even mana was able to perceive a tan aura that surrounded his body at all times. His master had taught him the importance of knowing someone's attunement as quickly as possible, especially in cases of his new storm element that could encompass all elements. Then it was critical to deciphering a way to beat them in a life or death situation.

Feng had recovered partially from the battle, but he looked weary. Now that he wasn't covered by twilight bastion, several wounds could be seen on his body while his shirt looked sticky with blood. Rowan looked at them both before smiling. "So what brings you all to this neck of the woods?" Rowan struggled not to laugh at himself, but Genma did little more than grunt in response. Feng stepped forward, ignoring his master, and extended his hand to Rowan who in turn clasped his friend's hand in his before infusing him with storm mana filled with light and darkness. He stripped away the storm and infused the mana, boosting his recovery in the process.

Feng's eyes went wide, "I knew something had changed since the last time we met, but last I checked, light and darkness weren't part of your repertoire when we last met." Rowan shook his head, "I got a master of my own in that time, and you won't believe who, I even managed to bring you back something which considering I still don't have an inventory for some damn reason is with Em." Feng just looked at Genma who looked at Rowan like he was some type of anomaly. "The system has only existed for a couple hundred of years, which albeit is still a long time, but in that time it only received a single update and yet you chose to not look through the changes?"

Rowan could only shrug at this, though he had no true need for the system any longer other than simple things, so why would he check if any of the other updates were useful besides the changes to his status page? "Meh, why would I care about that moody system, anyway? There are plenty that cultivate without it, right?" Genma's eyes narrowed into lines "So do you think yourself above the Empyrean system Rowan Raid despite the fact that you didn't even notice that it opened the inventory function for everyone with the update?" Rowan nodded his head in approval at that. Now he would be able to carry things around easier. "Sheesh, I'm thankful for that. I was stunned when I first saw the system. I hoped it wouldn't become useless that quickly." [Manners young master. The changes to the system are to make it less invasive and balance tilting. Everyone on your layer should be given the same chances to rise just like you aim to do.]

Rowan smiled at the system's input. He thought with taking a master it would be the last time that he heard from Empry, but that had changed clearly. [No young master, my consciousness was dormant during the update. I am slowly fully coming back online across this layer and reconnecting myself to each consciousness.] Rowan nodded and thought to himself "Glad to have you back Empry." [Hmph of course, you may have been chosen to be the master's disciple but you are still the champion I chose among billions of lives that I touched with the system, I have to ensure your growth remains unparalleled in the hopes that the fully grown you is able to give the master a worthy challenge.] Rowan could finally focus on other things as he turned back to Genma and Feng. "We can make our way back to the ship and I can fill you guys in on everything that's happened since the last time we have seen each other.

They reached the ship to see a fully healed Em fiddling with different controls while Camille sat nearby in a chair. She noticed Feng's injuries and guided him to the side while Genma jumped right to yelling at Em. "Please do not touch those things, you could not fathom the price one has to pay for a ship like this and it already needs enough repairs. I would rather not add system issues to the problem." Em looked back at Genma like he was ridiculous as she shook her head at the older man "No wonder your ship doesn't like you." Em then turned back around and placed her hand back on the middle console as golden lines spread out from her hand and released a steady hum.

"Okay, got it! Big bro, I already have everything I need to fix the ship, plus the upkeep on it has been rather poor, so I'm gonna fix some extra stuff and add some stuff, should be done in a couple hours." Rowan nodded at her. "Thank you, Em. It's much appreciated. Leave the stuff I had you carry for me by the door, please. "She nodded and made her way out of the room before Feng sniffed twice and turned to Rowan from where Camille was healing him. Rowan didn't need to say much; they had both been thinking along the same lines.

"Her attunement is actively evolving, but I have no clue where it's going. It seems to be leaning towards technology, though, which is an interesting evolution." Feng nodded as Camille's healing flames finally finished healing him and closing all of his wounds. "You have certainly brought with you two interesting mana users in any regard. She would be the first of her kind, I believe. So tell me, Rowan, what exactly happened? That you were ready so soon, or for that matter, that your abilities evolved so quickly in such a short span of time. Rowan sat down in a chair, knowing it was a long story, and began to narrate it from start to finish while Genma and Feng listened attentively. It was Camille's second time hearing all of it so she had gone off to find and check on Em.

When Rowan had finally finished telling all of it he was amazed but Genma, on the other hand, was stunned. "It tracks that you became so monstrous and there're some secrets involved that both of you will learn after enrolling in the interstellar academy so we will let that go, but I would advise you keep who your master is a complete secret from now on. You can be considered immensely fortunate to get this opportunity. Necromancers are hated across the entire layer and the system has been known to richly reward anyone who can take one off of the board. In your case, it gives you an opportunity to meet with beings that would make even me jealous." Genma could only shake his head and sigh while Rowan went over and grabbed the stuff that Em had dropped off.

Rowan put most of it away and left only a single book in his hand. "Now you guys should tell me what the hell happened here, or even where you are, for that matter." Feng nodded and was about to comment when he noticed the peculiar lettering on the cover of the book in Rowan's hands. "Rowan, that's not what I think it is… Is it?." Rowan smiled and handed him the book. "This is a gift from me. I had my master write it up. It includes his own personal anecdotes on runes. I hope it allows you to fully flourish as a tier zero being." Feng shot up from where he was sitting and slowly took the book with both hands, holding it more gently than one even would with a baby." Feng turned to his master, who could only shake his head. "I'll fill him in. You can go to your room." Feng was about to hurry out of the room when he stopped by the door and turned back around. "I know you may see this as me doing the same thing that I did for you and I want you to know that I, in turn, will never forget it. If you have to wade through an ocean of swords or a sea of flame, then call me first. After then Feng took his exit and vanished down the hallway.

"Thank you for that Rowan, Feng has wanted to pursue runes for such a long time and I have not been able to acquire any resources to truly help that goal of his so he has focused on other parts of his cultivation so thank you dearly, I too owe you immensely." Rowan nodded his head as he locked his eyes on the middle-aged man. "Your intentions seem to be good, old man, though I will say this. "If you ever threaten someone I care about again, I won't hesitate to take your life, regardless of race a friend of mine isn't something just anyone can touch, Akari may have purposefully left out your interaction with her but I recently got to peer into her mind and I saw your whole interaction."

Genma blanched for a moment before clearing his throat. "I see. I guess I did indeed overstep in regard to your friend and for that, I apologize." Rowan nodded at his words as Genma cleared his throat. "Now I know your world was just a minor world, but allow me to explain to you a couple of things that are necessary to explain to you how me and Feng wound up in the center of a War World."