System Change

”That’s great! That will make things a lot easier,” Derek replied. He was honestly happy that the old man was going to join them the entire way to Origin City. Well, the man was going to join him all the way to Origin City. Alex still had to be dropped off on the planet before the one that the city was in, since Derek didn’t have enough slots for everyone. At least, he still wasn’t sure about it all.

”I thought so, too,” Ancestor Sheen said with a smile.

However, as they were walking through the city on the way to the teleporter to get off the planet, Derek decided he’d ask some questions about the city—in particular, the problem he was currently having. ”Sheen... Ancestor Sheen...” Derek corrected.

”Sheen is fine when nobody is around, but yes, Ancestor Sheen is likely better when there are more. That, or Ascendant Sheen,” the old man replied. ”But yes? What is it?”

”So, my pass allows me to take ten people with me to the city, right?” Derek asked, not just for confirmation.

”It does,” Sheen replied. ”Did you decide to take young Alex here with you?”

”Uh... that... that’s not it,” Derek replied. ”I was just hoping to get some information if you have it.”

”Well, ask away,” Sheen replied.

”So, I can bring ten people with me,” Derek said. ”But can I swap those ten people out at any time?” Derek had two concerns more than anything. He had nine spots taken for sure, but then he also had Amelia, and he would have Silvi too—if they decided to sever their bond within the next ten years.

”You cannot,” Sheen answered.

”Oh...”

”You cannot swap them out at any time, but you can swap them out,” the ancestor said.

”Really? How?”

”Simple,” Sheen replied. ”Five of the slots are permanent slots. Even if the people in those slots die, they cannot be replaced. Those are your prime guests—select them carefully.”

”Okay,” Derek replied with a nod. Malorie, Brandi, Thomas, Stella, and likely Edgar. It would be between him or Marrick, and I don’t think Marrick is going to want to stay cooped up for ten years in a city, even if it is Origin City. ”What about the other five?”

”On a decade-long pass, you can swap those five out a single time apiece, but it must be at least two years after your initial guest confirmation,” Sheen explained.

”Okay...” Derek said. I can work with that. ”Is there anyone that I shouldn’t allow as a guest when I am choosing?”

”Besides servants?” Sheen scratched his chin. ”Hmm... definitely avoid problem causers. Honestly, if their class is of very low rarity, it would be a waste of a slot.”

”When you say low rarity...” Derek said.

”It depends on the level, but if they are level 250 and still only have a rare class, that would be a waste of a slot. I would hesitate to allow a person with an epic class in, but that would be the bare minimum,” Sheen replied. ”Of course, there are exceptions. If there is a young generational talent and their guardian has a low rarity class, then that could be acceptable.”

”I see,” Derek replied. Everyone should be good then. Malorie is Brandi’s guardian, and Brandi could definitely be considered a generational talent in crafting. Stella isn’t level 250 or close to it yet, and I don’t doubt for a second that she will have at least an epic class at level 200. Edgar is legendary, and Marrick is Mythic already. I don’t know for sure, but I think Roman is legendary with his alchemy skills. But Bones and Ogre...Derek turned his head and looked at Sheen. ”You said servants?”

”Huh? Yes,” Sheen said. ”Each prime guest gets two servants.”

”And what is the difference between my guests and servants?” Derek asked.

”Limited access,” Sheen said. ”Servants can only access shops and Origin City-specific areas and such when it is an order from the prime guest. They can only access the most basic dungeons in each level range. Servants will benefit somewhat, but they will not benefit greatly in Origin City.”

”Really?” Derek asked with wide eyes. That opened some things up. Bones isn’t anything more than my servant. He doesn’t actually want to be more than that. He only wants himself and Ogre to grow stronger so they can be useful. Surely the basic dungeons will be more than enough for them. I don’t even know the rarity of their classes either.

Derek let out a sigh of relief as they walked into the building with the teleporter. Sheen glanced over at Derek but didn’t say anything. Instead, he walked up to the counter and handed the person behind it a slip. No words were exchanged, and the person behind the counter just bowed reverently.

”Ah! Hall Master Sheen!” Captain Hawthorne suddenly made an appearance from one of the side rooms. He walked out and bowed deeply.

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”I’m not a hall master anymore,” Sheen said. ”Just Ancestor Sheen now.”

”Oh, my apologies, Ancestor Sheen,” Hawthorne bowed again. When he rose, he had a huge smile on his face. ”I must thank you again for my reward in the hall. I have learned much and am forever in your debt. I believe that it won’t be as troublesome as I once believed to obtain Ascendant status with the knowledge I have been rewarded.”

”It is good to hear that. Then I take it that your Affinity will be making a breakthrough shortly, and the Loomis clan will have another Ascendant to call its own?” Sheen asked.

”That is the hope and the plan,” Captain Hawthorne replied. ”After the goodwill of the Loomis Clan, I do not believe I will ever part from it—especially after the latest reward.” The captain looked around and then leaned in so only Sheen, Derek, and Alex could hear him. ”My Affinity hit 65% yesterday, after all these years. And I think I should be able to get another percentage or two within the next year.”

”Oh?” Sheen’s smile grew a bit wider. ”Then I shall congratulate you, future Ascendant Hawthorne. We shall celebrate once I return and you have reached the stage.”

”It would be my honor, Ancestor Sheen,” Hawthorne bowed again. ”Now, we are back down to Protocol 2. If you will follow me, I will see you to your off-planet teleporter.”

Their group followed behind the captain, and soon they were standing in a room with a teleporter. Captain Hawthorne went and made sure everything was in place, then said, ”If the three of you would please make your way to the circle.”

Derek, Alex, and Sheen took a few steps to reach the center of the circle, then waited. A few moments later, the circle began to light up.

”I wish you safe travels and a speedy return,” Captain Hawthorne said. ”VIP Hunt, it was my pleasure meeting and escorting you. I wish you well. May we meet again.”

Derek nodded to the man and gave him a smile and a wave. Then they were gone.

Seconds later, Derek opened his eyes, and it looked like he was standing in the same room in the same place. He looked around, and the only thing different was that where Captain Hawthorne had been standing, there was a bald man with a bored look on his face.

”Please continue to keep your arms and legs inside the teleportation. We will have you out of here in just a moment. Safe travels, Ancestor Sheen,” the bald man said, then began a countdown. ”Three... two... one...”

The blinding light flashed once again, and the group disappeared. When they appeared again, Derek actually felt tired for the first time in a long time. He let out a deep breath, then drew it back in. He looked over at Alex, who was sweating profusely and panting. Sheen was standing just as before with the same smile on his face. He turned his head to look at Derek, and then his smile grew.

”Two very long-distance teleports in a row can be quite rough on you physically,” he said.

”That’s for sure,” Derek replied, then looked at his stamina. It was under half, and it was building back very slowly. ”It’s almost like I have a stamina debuff,” he said as he activated Greater Meditation to help with the recovery.

”Ancestor Sheen, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” a young woman with bright red hair in a Loomis Clan robe said, then bowed deeply.

”Mhm...” Sheen nodded.

”Just one moment, and the three of you may be on your way. We are still under Protocol 2, so we must verify with you,” the woman said, then Sheen walked over. He handed the woman another slip, and after a few moments, she nodded. ”Thank you so much. Please have safe travels.” She handed him the slip back, which he stored, and then the trio left.

Soon, they found themselves walking through another Loomis-controlled city. ”Where to now?” Derek asked.

”Now, we must travel to the capital city and take the public teleporter to the planet before Origin City. As I said, I can provide you with two private teleportations, then the public one. From there, it’s a system teleportation onto Origin Planet. You will have to verify your status before it will let you go there.”

”I see,” Derek replied. ”That’s not too bad, then.” I just have to figure out when to let my friends out of my space. I don’t mind Sheen seeing it since he already knows what my Affinity is.

”No, it isn’t terrible, but it is quite expensive,” Sheen said. ”You do not realize how much distance we have already covered and the cost of such teleportations. Of course, the clan is happy to pay it, as it is pennies to them, but the public teleportation for three to Planet Karnis will be quite expensive. Of course, I will front that bill for us, so you need not worry.”

”What... is the cost?” Derek asked.

”For three?” Sheen rubbed his chin. ”It has been some time since I have traveled like this, so the price may have increased, but it was just over 100,000 system credits per person the last time I checked.”

”Uh... huh...” Derek muttered. He looked around to make sure that nobody was watching, then asked, ”And if we were to add 11 more people?”

Suddenly, Sheen stopped. He turned and flicked his wrist. In the middle of the road, a cocoon of soul thread appeared around them. ”So, they currently travel with you?” he asked once the barrier was up.

”They do,” Derek replied.

”And have been with you all along?” Sheen asked.

”They have,” Derek said.

”I thought those questions about guest pass slots were suspicious. Now it makes sense,” Sheen said. ”So, you carry with you 11 people in some sort of void space?”

”Yes,” Derek replied. Normally, he would be surprised that someone figured it out so quickly, but it was Ancestor Sheen he was dealing with, after all.

”I had my suspicions for some time, but those questions verified them,” Sheen said. ”They will all need to be part of the public teleportation off of this planet. Private teleportation is one thing, but if you are caught smuggling non-bonded companions through a public teleporter, that is quite the crime.”

”Oh... I see,” Derek said. He always thought it was a good way to save some coin back in Cydaria, but where he was now, he certainly did not want to commit any bad crimes. ”But I don’t need to have my bonded companion come out or my friend’s bonded companion?” he asked.

”No, bonded companions are considered part of their bond. Nobody will say anything about that,” Sheen said. ”But system users are another matter.” The man frowned for a moment. ”It is fine. We should be able to get a discount for teleporting with over ten people. With fourteen people and the distance we need to go... probably about 1.2 million system credits. I am not the richest Ascendant by any means, but I can certainly cover that.”

”I can pay a million,” Derek replied. ”I have that much.”

”Oh? You already have a million credits saved?” Sheen asked in surprise. ”That is not a small sum. I’ll tell you what. You can pay half a million, and I will cover the rest. Think of it as a gift for making me laugh the other day and changing my mind about my own growth.”

”I can do that,” Derek said. He felt bad about Sheen taking the brunt of the cost, but he still didn’t know what his credits were worth, and he would want to keep at least some just in case he needed them.

”Very well,” Sheen said. ”We will bring your friends out just before we reach the city.”

”Thank you,” Derek said. ”I wasn’t even thinking about cost.”

”You are fine, young friend,” Sheen said. ”It is what I should do as an elder, anyway.” Sheen dismissed the cocoon, then took a step forward. ”Now, come on. We have a short journey ahead of us, and I would like to make it to Origin Planet sooner rather than later.”