Chapter 230: Rewards
{A/N: Ch 13-14 edited. Includes fun alternative titles, better grammar, and revamped smut scene. I do feel that I have grown sluggish with my dark arts so I will read more smut and polish my skills again.}
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[Objective: Deviated from the intended course of action, the Phoenix rules the four aspects. Dethrone him or kill him.
Mission Rank: 1
Rewards: Silver Mystery Box, 15 AP {Rank: 1}
Time Limit: —]
[Status: Successful.]
[Rewards Issued.]
[Name: Nik Faran
Age: 20 (80)
Code: GC—EHG—98034
Authority Rank: 1 (13.2→ 28.2/100)
Paradise: Transmigration
Title: Transmigration Intern
Bloodline: Adonis' Ember (Common)
Physique: 3.8
Mental: 5.8
Energy: 46.5→ 59.8]
[Silver Mystery Box Issued. Please open it at your earliest convenience.]
Nik lay on his bed alone. For a good reason, too. It has been a few hours only after Ozai's death but many things needed to be taken care of. For instance... the person Katara and Sokka met out of the 'corpses' that Reaper controlled. Ursa waiting for Zuko to recover so that she may finally tell him the truth... Nik, personally, had some issues to deal with, too but the rewards weren't the only thing.
First, he had long let out others who wished to leave his private world. While Nik may be a bit unenthusiastic to let many inside the personal world, the sight of several clueless children who didn't know why they died and how their loved ones long eroded in the river of time made him... a bit sappy. He simply had a soft spot for children and broken things to a certain extent. Not to mention the fact that he only had one village. Too much space in the personal world still remained untapped.
He could earn a loyal workforce from these men, women, and children who have nowhere to go. And if someone had bad intentions, well, they can be let out with a single thought.
Second, Nik needed to rest. Truly. He may have been on a rush or a high as he continuously committed suicides but the thought of doing it all again... made his knees quiver weakly. He WOULD do it all again if it meant saving his loved ones but... the thought of experiencing death time and again just did not sit right with him now that he calmed down.
And rest he did. Without care. Others needed rest, too. After all, they experienced death, too, even if it wasn't the real deal. Others had it even rough since they felt guilty to have killed themselves in front of Aang.
One thing was for sure. Those within Nik's harem that doubted spirits certainly did not question their existence from now on and... admitted their intention to train more. Especially Michi and Poppy who still felt horror on a subtle level after realizing how close they were to losing their children, too. Not that it would lower their punishment for their children.
Mai, Tom-Tom, and Toph died. Michi and Poppy were infuriated beyond belief. And they punished their revived children the first thing after their rest.
Go figure.
This was one of the greatest reasons Nik chose to play the card of a hero who saved all their asses and just rest. He cared very little about being a hero but he couldn't deny its perks.
"So? How long are you going to nibble on the same nut?"
Nik looked toward his waist as the scarlet squirrel let out a soft hum and bit on its forest nut once again. Its words echoed soon after.
"There is a possibility of saving this nut for a hundred years. But I can binge at times. Thus, that possibility is low despite its existence. On the other hand, the possibility of your meeting with Ra is greatly increased."
"I was led to believe by others that Ra and Raat would eventually look for me. Why... didn't they?" Nik questioned as he sat up. He settled in a room for the castle while many earthbenders were already repairing it. Nik was of half the mind to 'liberate' it once the work is done. The furniture here really suited his taste.
"Ra indeed planned to look for you. But after your dalliance with the Flower of Fertility through the woman named Mai, it managed to greatly underplay you in Ra's eyes. Of course, it was Dhi who managed to entirely calm Ra down."
"Dhi?" Nik recalled the eyeball surrounded by tentacles that claimed itself to be cognition.
"Indeed... it revealed how you questioned it about the weakness of Ra and Raat in the mortal plane. It also revealed that you intended to scam Raat out of its essence which allowed it to manipulate others. Thus, Ra is greatly eased. Since you wanted something, they could naturally wait and let you find them."
Nik's lips twitched. He had the ability to ask Dhi three questions when he met it in Lake Laogai. The first one was how to communicate with Mokshi and in return, it granted him an energybending skill. The second question was about an essence from a spirit that would allow him to beguile others.
He didn't want to do anything like Ozai, of course...
But Nik was now distinctly aware how this skill would ease his situation a lot in his homeworld. Unlike other worlds, his homeworld is supposed to be the place he returns to and his stay there will get longer and longer. And... even Nik desired a home. Not in the personal world but in the real one, too. With a skill that could beguile others, he could cover up for any illogical thing he may present. Unlike this world that could wield elements, Nik felt that his homeworld was... a bit more normal. But the recollection of behemoths known as Trains made him sigh silently.
What a hunk of metal...
Now he wanted to try and devour it, too.
Back on track, the skill that Nik wanted happened to be present within Raat— it who follows Ra.
Nik's final question was— How to trick Ra and Raat into demanding a portion of their essence?
And for that, Dhi revealed that the only way was to challenge them in something he was good at.
Now... the thought of his plans already exposed made him groan.
"So... they won't be coming after me?" Nik questioned.
"If it was before, there would be a chance. But now, many spirits, especially primordials, who thrived on balance are pleased with you greatly. You have their indirect support and most of the spiritual nuisances would no longer trouble you for the rest of your stay in this world. That's... the least we can do for someone who finally put an end to Reaper's and Grim's madness."
Nik nodded and then took retrieved a thin red thread, "I suppose you want this? Since consuming Grim did not grant me any essence, it means that all its existence is tied to this thread itself."
The squirrel glanced at the thread with its beady little eyes and nodded.
"If possible, yes. Grim's existence was formed when Death accidentally cut a small portion of my real body. And Reaper was formed when a speck of Death's scythe was forced to dust down due to my thread. Without that sickle, Death is still complete. But without that Thread, I remain incomplete. That is why you could not gain anything by devouring what little of Grim's soul you could."
The spirit revealed, "Its essence was always attached to mine. Unlike Reaper, which was independent, Grim has always been the dependent one."
"So?" Nik raised his brow and looked at the red thread, "What can I get in return?"
Not playing around the bush either, the squirrel replied, "The location where Ra and Raat will be staying for a year. Knowing this, you can save the possible amount of time needed to find them..."
Nik let out a nasal hum before shaking his head, "I appreciate all the favor you did for me back then. But I think we're even with me taking out Reaper and Grim. I want something better than just their location..."
Knowing full well that he was being greedy once again but also the fact that this wasn't the first time he was being crazy today, Nik looked at the spirit and demanded softly, "If possible... I don't want to challenge or antagonize Ra and Raat. Both of them are primordial spirits, after all. If... you can persuade them to gift me their essence, especially Raat's which allows me to beguile others... I will return this thread to you."
The Squirrel grew silent and then nodded, "There exists a possibility in Ra's and Raat's life where they would wish to reward you for bringing peace to our world temporarily. Not to mention you being the first traveler to do so... I'll watch that certain threads... drift towards that possibility."
Nik nodded in reply and then grew hesitant for a moment. Heaving deeply, he then returned the thread to the Squirrel and questioned, "And where can I find them?"
"Where Ra's followers reside," Squirrel replied and then flickered out of existence.
Nik's room returned to its quiet setting and he finally slumped back on the bed with a dazed expression.
Thinking for a second, Nik opened his information panel once again and looked at the silver box pattern in the corner.
Of course, Nik knew about these rewards. To be precise, he knew that there were only three types of these mystery boxes that were given on missions relative to the host's own ranking.
Silver.
Gold.
Diamond.
He could try and get the golden mystery box, too... but Nik felt his stomach churn at the thought of betraying a friend as great as Aang.
{A/N: EHG Nik looking sideways in embarrassment.}
Opening the mystery box was as simple as a thought.
The panel shifted from his information to the image of a silver treasure chest that shook and open with a flash of light and when the panel reverted to its state, Nik saw strings of messages appear on the panel.
[Silver Mystery Box opened. Please choose one of the following rewards.]
[The Dragon's Blade: A sword forged out of the mysterious alloy that mixes steel and the bones of a dragon. (Additional Info: The said Dragon species is commonly known as a weaker snake in higher ranked worlds.)]
[Bloodline Evolution Compound (Uncommon): A product of Transmigration Paradise that allows the host to evolve a bloodline to the Uncommon Rank at most by providing the best options and guaranteed results. (Additional Info: Any Bloodline higher than the common variant is subject to Bloodline Shackles prevailing in the Omniverse.) (Special Info: A paradox skill detected that negates metaphysical shackles.)]
[The Phoenix's Feather: A Phoenix's Feather from a Phoenix. (Additional Info: The said Phoenix species is commonly known as a weaker rooster in higher ranked worlds.)]
Nik blinked and looked at his options.
He never used a sword, and he didn't need a feather. Sure, he may have considered the sword for Suki or someone else who chose this weapon often but the second option greatly roused his interest. And as such, he didn't think much before selecting the Bloodline Evolution Compound.
The moment he did so, a new panel opened in front of him.
[Various changes detected to the body aside from the Common Bloodline granted by Infinity. Scanning the sources and providing a list of Uncommon Ranked Bloodlines that fit current skill-set and changes in the body.]
[1. Adonis' Blaze
2. Lower Fire Servant
3. Lower Water Servant
4. Lower Earthen Servant
5. Lower Wind Servant
6. Aphrodite's Blood
7. Cold Fire Imp
8. Sand Imp
9. Mud Imp
10. Scorch Imp
11. Lower Sea Spirit
12. Death's Acolyte
13. Eye of Knowledge
---
73. Pink Goblin]
Seeing the number of options and their basic descriptions, Nik couldn't help but suck in a breath of cold air!
Too many options!
Not only that, all these options suggested that every evolution could be heavily affected by the skills he learned prior and most likely the essence he devoured, too.
At the moment, the strongest option was no doubt Death's Acolyte.
The... most 'dangerous' option was Pink Goblin which had elusive skills from the description he got but... Nik wanted to wait before deciding on anything. After all, he also wanted Raat's essence and if the addition of their essence could open up more options, Nik was all up for it.
'But... I guess I can't keep the truth from the rest of them for too long now, huh...'
Nik felt a little stifled once again. Sure... there was a chance that someone from the recent addition might not want to leave with him... and Nik wouldn't just give up with the very first rejection but if they didn't agree, eventually... the thought of it distressed him.
How easy it would be to control their mind...
But similarly, how cheap it would be to end the first adventure of his new life in that manner.
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Alternate Title: Nik, the Avatar Slayer— Wait, Wrong Reality.
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