NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6
Chapter 6: Joining the Chat Group (Seeking Flowers, Seeking Evaluation Votes)
After his encounter with Cid, Bai Luo was able to roughly gauge his current strength.
“Based on the performance in anime, I should now be one of the top-tier existences in this world.”
Although Cid is only 8 years old and still in a weak stage.
The Eminence in Shadow is an overpowered series, and Cid is the template for a wish-fulfillment protagonist.
This means Cid’s combat power is inherently at the T0 level.
Bai Luo defeated him, even if it was just the young Dark Shadow, which gave him the confidence to live well in this world.
“Even if I do nothing and continue to grow at this rate.”
Bai Luo: “Cid would have to wait until he’s 13 to surpass me, and by then, I’ll already be 25.”
At 25, Bai Luo could only fight a 13-year-old Cid to a draw, which shows how high Cid’s talent and potential are.
“Fortunately, I have cheats.”
The check-in system for the enhancement system has a guaranteed function.
This means that in just 30 days, Bai Luo can obtain his first SSR-level enhancement card.
With just SR+1 magic growth, he’s already this strong.
If it were upgraded to SSR, Bai Luo is certain that Cid would never be able to catch up to him in this lifetime.
Magic growth is related to age and increases as one grows older.
However, Bai Luo is 12 years older than Cid.
Even if Cid’s magic growth reaches SSR, the 12-year gap means he will always live in Bai Luo’s shadow.
“Moreover, SSR doesn’t seem to be the limit for skills.”
In a year, at least one of magic growth or magic control will reach UR level.
Bai Luo can’t imagine the gap between UR and SSR.
The only certainty is that, within a year, Bai Luo will undoubtedly surpass the peak Dark Shadow and become the pinnacle of combat power in this world.
[Ding, host binding successful. Welcome to the Multiverse Chat Group.]
Just as Bai Luo was fantasizing about this, a sudden notification interrupted his thoughts.
‘What’s going on?’
Bai Luo was stunned for a moment, thinking he was hallucinating: ‘A chat group?’
‘Isn’t my cheat the enhancement system?’
Bai Luo was naturally familiar with chat groups, but the problem was that he already had a system.
Oh, the chat group isn’t a system? Well, that’s fine.
[‘Shining Shadow’ has joined the chat group.]
[‘Time Spirit’ has joined the chat group.]
[‘Ironhead Kid’ has joined the chat group.]
[‘Railgun’ has joined the chat group.]
[‘Amnesiac Little Bai’ has joined the chat group.]
Five notifications sounded in succession, and the previously empty member list of the chat group was now filled with five avatars.
Clearly, they were the first batch of members invited to the chat group.
“Lord Bai Luo, what’s wrong?”
Seeing Bai Luo in a daze, Yukime asked with concern.
“Nothing, just encountered something interesting.”
Bai Luo didn’t forget what he was doing just because the chat group appeared.
So he casually sent a message and exited the chat group.
Shining Shadow: “Thanks for the invite, but I have real-world matters to attend to. Let’s chat later.”
“Let’s go gather the survivors, Yukime.”
Bai Luo glanced at the village, now reduced to ruins due to the aftermath of the battle.
He released his magic perception and quickly located the villagers who had fled or hidden during the chaos.
‘Although this guy has some serious issues, he still has basic judgment.’
Bai Luo: ‘At least he didn’t mistake the fleeing beastmen for bandits and kill them.’
Although Cid is extremely self-centered, his sudden attack avoided harming innocent people.
Well, first, he could rationally determine who were bandits and who were innocents.
As for the subsequent battle, Bai Luo didn’t dare bet that Cid would remain rational.
To ensure the Demon Fox Village remained intact, Bai Luo deliberately moved the battlefield to an uninhabited area.
But who would have thought that Cid would go so crazy?
‘What a pity.’
If Cid hadn’t attacked him right away, Bai Luo felt they could have had a conversation.
But Cid simply wouldn’t listen.
Oh, Bai Luo also acted decisively?
Well, that’s fine.
‘Cid is the protagonist, but what does that have to do with me?’
Bai Luo chose to ignore Cid. He needed to heal the injured beastmen and didn’t have time to deal with that middle schooler.
With Bai Luo’s help, the gathering of survivors proceeded smoothly.
Yukime was still alive, and seeing her gave the villagers a sense of security.
Soon, Yukime found her mother’s body in the ruins.
The girl cried bitterly, but she knew now wasn’t the time for grief.
After experiencing a night of slaughter and betrayal by friends, Yukime had matured a lot.
As the heir to the Demon Fox Village, she knew she had to pull herself together.
“21 people in total, all children. The oldest is 13, and the youngest is only 2.”
Unlike the situation with Hongye, there were boys among these children.
Of course, beastmen cubs are adorable regardless of gender.
Bai Luo isn’t biased towards girls, nor does he have any intention of building a harem in this world.
With both males and females, the clan can thrive and reproduce better.
“Adding Hongye’s group, that makes 33 people.”
Bai Luo shared his plan with Yukime: “I plan to take you away from the Beastmen Empire and establish a new base in the eastern mountains.”
“Wherever you go, we will follow.”
“No matter the ends of the earth, I am willing to follow you.”
Having witnessed Bai Luo’s power, Yukime knew there was no safer place in this world than by his side.
As long as they followed this young man, the flame of the Demon Fox Village would reignite.
The children had no objections.
They were young, and Yukime was the eldest sister and the highest-ranking white fox in the village.
According to the village’s customs, with Yukime’s mother dead, she was now the new village chief.
Yukime was well aware of the responsibility on her shoulders. She had to take care of the children.
But she trusted Bai Luo.
As long as they followed this supreme powerhouse, not only would they survive, but they might also have the chance to avenge their clansmen and parents in the future.
“Then, the first task.”
“Before dawn, gather as much intact supplies from the village as possible.”
“Don’t worry about carrying capacity. I have a way to transport them.”
After giving these instructions, Bai Luo rested outside the village with the beastmen children under 5 years old, while Yukime led the remaining villagers to search house by house.
“My name is Bai Luo. You can call me Brother Bai Luo.”
Seeing the children gathered around him, too shy to approach due to unfamiliarity, Bai Luo sensed their inner unease.
Losing family and friends, being homeless, and having to leave their hometown to seek a new path.
Such a huge change was like a nightmare for these children.
“Hum~~”
Bai Luo gave them a warm, brotherly smile. He raised his hand, and silver-white magic rose into the sky like fireworks, then fell as magical raindrops.
Instantly, the magic nourished their bodies, healing their wounds and bruises.
All injuries and fatigue were swept away under the silver magic’s radiance.
Not only that, Bai Luo’s magic could also improve the children’s physiques, repairing their magic circuits to make them more resilient and smooth.
“So warm…”
“Warm and comfortable.”
“Thank you, big brother.”
“…”
Bai Luo’s kindness easily bridged the gap between them.
The little ones, no longer hesitant, gathered around the young man, calling out to him affectionately.
“Good, good.”
Bai Luo focused on the two girls closest to him, gently patting their heads.
‘Great texture.’
‘What kind of beastmen are these fluffy ears from?’
While performing the head pats, Bai Luo pondered the races of the two beastgirls: ‘Round ears, like a bear, but the tail…’
‘A raccoon?’
Bai Luo enjoyed the moment, and the girls also closed their eyes in comfort.
For beastmen, ears and tails are sensitive areas, usually only touched by very close individuals.
Although Bai Luo wasn’t their family.
The debt of saving their lives was immeasurable, and letting him touch their ears was nothing.
Moreover, they could feel Bai Luo’s genuine affection for them.
“So envious…”
“I… I also want Big Brother to pat my head.”
Soon, the little ones showed envious eyes.
“Alright, alright, don’t rush. Everyone will get their turn.”
This scene was a paradise for furries, those who love fluffy things.
“By the way, can I touch the tails?”
Although it was strange that Bai Luo liked their ears and tails, the children were at an age where they loved to be pampered.
Bai Luo not only didn’t mind but also indulged them, which made the little ones overjoyed.
Soon, the fluffy little bundles crowded around Bai Luo, nearly knocking him over.
Half an hour passed.
Under Bai Luo’s soothing, the little ones had closed their eyes.
Like the children of Xiawu Village, experiencing such a tragedy, witnessing their parents and clansmen being slaughtered, one could imagine the trauma they endured.
Now that they had relaxed, exhaustion washed over them like a tide.
Meanwhile, in the village, the survivors were still busy searching the Demon Fox Village.
They carefully combed through every inch of the land, trying to find as many useful items as possible.
Food, clothes, daily necessities, valuables—anything that could be taken was gathered and piled up in the open space outside the village.
Taking advantage of this time, Bai Luo opened the chat group.
At a glance, he noticed there were already many records, clearly left by the other members who had joined earlier.
Rewinding to half an hour ago.
Time Spirit: “Ara ara, is this another annoying trick by those pesky flies?”
In the Date A Live world, a girl in a red-and-black gothic dress stood on the roof of a skyscraper.
The girl had been searching for tonight’s target, but the sudden notification and the chat box that appeared in her mind caught her attention.
“A chat group connecting infinite dimensions?”
“Such a thing can’t possibly exist.”
Tokisaki Kurumi, the girl’s name, was a spirit who could manipulate time.
Her first reaction to the chat group’s existence was that the AST had set a trap for her.
Amnesiac Little Bai: “Um, hello everyone. Do you know who I am?”
Railgun: “Huh? What do you mean by ‘who I am’? Don’t you know who you are?”
Misaka Mikoto, who had just completed a “zero-yen purchase” at a vending machine, opened her can with a pop and drank while mentally吐槽ing.
As a modern person, Mikoto was naturally familiar with chat groups.
She wasn’t worried about someone doing something to her.
In Academy City, there were quite a few espers with mental or psychic abilities.
“Hey, Shokuhou!”
Misaka Mikoto: “Stop hiding and come out!”
Her first suspect was, of course, the busty starry-eyed girl.
Unfortunately, there was no response, only the curious gazes of passersby.
“Uh…”
Blushing slightly, Mikoto quickly turned and left.
At the same time, the embarrassed Mikoto didn’t forget to keep an eye on the chat group.
Ironhead Kid: “Um, hello, Mr. Little Bai.”
Amnesiac Little Bai: “Do you know my name?”
Time Spirit: “…”
Railgun: “…”
The two girls from Date A Live and A Certain Magical Index were simultaneously amused by the naivety of “Amnesiac Little Bai.”
Amnesiac Little Bai: “Oh, sorry, sorry. Mr. Little Bai, that’s what you meant! Hahaha!”
In a certain ruined wasteland, a silver-haired young man slowly stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes, utterly confused about why he was there.
But soon, the members digested the basic information provided by the chat group.
The chat group’s first function was to give new members information about infinite dimensions and the multiverse.
This allowed members to quickly understand their situation and what the chat group was.
Even someone like Ironhead Kid, who lived in Japan’s Taisho era, managed to clumsily figure out how to communicate with other members.
“Hmm…”
Bai Luo scrolled through the chat records: “Railgun and Time Spirit are undoubtedly Mikoto and Kurumi.”
“Ironhead Kid is harder to figure out.”
After all, being “ironheaded” could refer to a trait, a personality quirk, or even just a literal description.
If it’s the former, there are too many characters who fit this description.
Any strong individual probably has a tough head.
“If it’s a personality trait, then it’s someone stubborn.”
Bai Luo: “Plus the ‘kid’ suffix, Ironhead Kid is likely a young person.”
“Sigh…”
With too little information, Bai Luo couldn’t pinpoint this member’s origin: “The range is too broad. It’s hard to guess.”
“Lastly, there’s ‘Amnesiac Little Bai.'”
Bai Luo was somewhat speechless: “Isn’t this name a bit too casual?”
But based on the member’s earlier responses, this person had amnesia.
“So ‘Little Bai’ could be a nickname or a description of their innocence.”
“Hmm…”
Bai Luo didn’t dwell on it further, as it wasn’t necessary.
The two were right there. He could just ask directly.
Shining Shadow: “Hello everyone, I’m back.”
Ironhead Kid: “Hello, Mr. Shadow.”
Railgun: “Hey, what’s with you? You seem so calm about all this.”
Time Spirit: “I feel the same way. It seems this ‘Shadow’ member knows something.”
Mikoto, or rather, the electromaster, with her straightforward personality, wasn’t one to scheme.
As for Kurumi—
If this was Kurumi before the main story began, it was natural for her to be suspicious of the chat group.
Shining Shadow: “Oh, that’s probably because I know about you guys.”
Bai Luo didn’t plan to be secretive or play the role of a charlatan to gain benefits, deceive people, and ultimately profit.
He felt there was no need for that.
After all, he already had a cheat.
With the enhancement system, Bai Luo didn’t need to do anything against his principles.
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