Modern Era — Third Era, Aven Era
Mis, 19 Jes 910 AC.
9:00 AM — Contemporary industrial city
In a lively street, lined with red brick buildings, the signs vibrate to the rhythm of a city that is neither modern nor archaic: simply lively, industrial, contemporary.
In the middle of this street stands a small flea market — souvenirs, antiques, strange rarities.
Inside, behind the counter, stands a tall, elegant, almost unreal man.
Her silver hair reflects the light like snow in the sun, and her silver eyes give her an ethereal, almost divine look.
He wears a traditional white Chinese outfit, decorated with silver-gray designs of a sinuous dragon that unfurls down his right sleeve until it wraps its head around his neck.
Clear-rimmed glasses rest on his nose.
In his hand, a pen. He fills out a sales report like a simple trader — although he is anything but.
It's Yin Bai.
The small door to the left of the counter opens.
Aliss finally appears.
Mr. Yin raises his head, stands slightly to watch her enter.
---
The awakening
Yin Bai:
—You're finally awake. Only one day this time… before, you stayed passed out for much longer.
Aliss:
— Yes, professor. Things are changing.
He sighs, not really angry, but worried.
Yin Bai:
—Why did I find you completely drained of energy? I warned you a hundred times. No matter what you think you can endure, you are still a child, with child-like energy reserves. Your greatest weakness is your resistance. If you want to survive, you must learn to manage your energy.
Aliss (annoyed):
— Stop, I know all that. I am the best at energy management among the people I know.
Yin Bai:
— I know... but what happened to you?
A silence.
Aliss looks away.
Aliss:
—Personal matters, Mr. Yin Bai.
He freezes.
Yin Bai:
"Okay… but don't pronounce my name like that. Unwanted ears might hear it.
She smiles, smirking.
Aliss:
—Oh, of course. Especially with… "the queen of heaven and earth, mistress of blessings, luck and fortune". How much do you owe him already?
Yin Bai immediately stops writing.
Yin Bai:
- Enough. Understood.
Aliss:
—Only an ancestral celestial dragon like you could manage to be in debt to a goddess of luck. Even luck flees you.
A nervous tic passes through the professor's eye.
---
The boxes
Aliss:
— You know... this morning, I dreamed... of the "before". Our training sessions in isolation.
Yin Bai (willfully ignoring):
—Speaking of that sort of thing… are you still interested in collector's boxes?
Aliss's eyes immediately light up.
Aliss:
— Can I have another one? Do I meet the conditions?
Yin Bai:
- Yes. Each of these boxes contains immense powers. Normally, you have to discover the activation conditions yourself, but... I've known you for a long time. And I know the conditions.
Aliss:
— As with the Fairy Tale Box Set… You helped me. What is this one?
A slight smile crosses the dragon's face.
Yin Bai:
— This one is called the Spiritual Box.
If you one day put it together with the Fairy Collection Box… you will be able to create the World Spirit Box.
He takes on a professorial air.
Yin Bai:
—I'm being nice today, so I'll give you the conditions.
To fully master the Spiritual Box, you will need to:
1. Harvest multiple spirits without a physical pillar.
2. Tame them all.
3. Materialize them, give them a physical pillar and stabilize their existence.
4. Then create cohesion: transform this disparate group into a real team.
For an initial check, just stop at step two... but you won't stop, will you?
He arches an eyebrow.
Yin Bai:
- SO ? Are you up for it?
Aliss (broad, dangerous smile):
— Of course yes. I'm going to build a real army.
Yin Bai closes his eyes for a moment.
Yin Bai:
"You're… damn dark for your age and gender.
Terrifying. Really.
Aliss bursts out laughing