Yin Xiaoya had finally shaken off Su Xuan's persistent questioning and found himself walking at the rear of the group.
Hold up, system, what's the deal? he thought, his mind racing. You told me this Douluo world was a parallel one, right? So why the hell are Yu Xiaogang and Shrek Academy popping up? Weren't you so sure the characters I knew wouldn't be showing their faces around here?
[Because this is a parallel world, such occurrences are not entirely unexpected. Parallel worlds often share similarities. This Yu Xiaogang is not necessarily the same Yu Xiaogang from the Douluo world you are familiar with. Host, consider this: does Shrek Academy, in your understanding, typically accept students considered to be 'trash'?]
That was a point that significantly diverged from the Douluo world Yin Xiaoya remembered. The Shrek Academy from the original novel was known for cherry-picking monstrously talented individuals. Here, it seemed to be the opposite. Yu Xiaogang, it seemed, had a peculiar preference for recruiting students with subpar talents or martial souls of questionable quality.
Moreover, in the Douluo world he knew, Shrek Academy was founded by Flender, a member of the Golden Iron Triangle alongside Yu Xiaogang, who established the academy's rule of only accepting exceptional talents. In this world, according to Su Xuan, Flender had indeed founded Shrek Academy and had a similar relationship with Yu Xiaogang, but he wasn't a greedy guy.
"Guess I should've seen this coming, huh? If it's a parallel world, these things are bound to happen. System, is there a chance we'll run into alternate versions of Tang San and the others?"
[The possibility remains high. However, remember that there is only one soul of Tang San, who crossed over from the Tang Sect in another world. Therefore, even if a Tang San is born in this world, he will not possess the same memories of the Tang Sect.]
Well, that explanation seemed to align with Yin Xiaoya's understanding of parallel worlds. Thinking about it, knowing that alternate versions of those characters might appear didn't change much for him. Predicting the plot was out of the question. He couldn't rely on plot armor, because the characters couldn't use it. People in one world could be total opposites in another.
But this Martial Soul Master Yu Xiaogang was someone he needed to connect with, because from what he knew, he should be very similar to the Yu Xiaogang he knew. Maybe he would interact with big bosses.
After all, he was now flesh and blood in this world, so he should get to know some people. It would be nice to have familiarity. In case some major event really happened, he wouldn't be alone.
"Ah, now that I think about it, system, did I get those Rider points for saving those guys earlier?"
[Confirmed. Calculations completed. Based on your rescue efforts, combat performance, and handling of the aftermath, a comprehensive evaluation has been conducted. You have earned a total of 30,000 points.]
"..."
[Host's response appears somewhat subdued.]
"No, it's just... I don't have a frame of reference. I don't know what I can get with 30000 points."
[Acknowledged. Presenting item list to host.]
A dazzling array of items flashed before Yin Xiaoya's eyes, including Kamen Rider transformation devices, auxiliary items, and Rider Machines. Apart from the main riders' transformation items, almost everything Kamen Rider-related was available.
Looking at the prices, Yin Xiaoya's mouth twitched. His 30,000 points barely covered a few auxiliary items. The cheapest Rider motorcycle cost around 10,000 points, let alone the transformation items and upgrades for the secondary Riders.
Even the Meteor Storm switch, an upgrade for Kamen Rider Meteor, was priced at a staggering 20,000 points. With such exorbitant prices, Yin Xiaoya couldn't bring himself to call the system a profiteer, since it offered another path: hunting soul beasts to unlock transformations and upgrades.
Yin Xiaoya realized he had been too hasty. What happened was predicted by the system, and he could only get 10000 points. He conformed to the chivalrous style to get three times the points. Of course, the system wouldn't tell him this.
"Whatever, it's my first time. Let's get something."
Yin Xiaoya decided to get candroids from Kamen Rider OOO. The Disk Animals of Hibiki were more suitable, but they needed the power of shikigami energy.
The candroids were not as good as Disk Animals in combat performance, but they were more convenient in auxiliary functions. They were cheaper than Disk Animals, costing 50 points each, and Yin Xiaoya exchanged 100 of them for spare.
Besides these candroids, he exchanged for a Kamen Rider Gaim's Musou Saber, a melee weapon with a certain range of attack, a top dual-purpose, and the price was 10000 points. That used half the points, but Yin Xiaoya didn't feel bad.
"I couldn't afford toys before, but now I'm getting the real ones, it's exciting."
Just then, Su Xuan, who was leading the way, spotted a mark left by another team. She turned to the others. "Uncle Jing's nearby, everyone, follow me."
Sure enough, in less than ten minutes, the group caught up with Jing Tieyang's team. They had just finished helping a student hunt a soul beast, and it was time for the student to absorb the soul ring.
Jing Tieyang's eyes narrowed at the sight of the approaching group. He relaxed slightly upon seeing Su Xuan, but his gaze immediately turned suspicious when he spotted Yin Xiaoya trailing behind.
"Uncle Jing, it's a bit of a long story. We ran into some trouble, and Yin Xiaoya stepped up to help..."
Su Xuan recounted what had happened, carefully omitting the part about the bone scythe mantis turning into Greeed and only mentioning that it had been driven off. The fact that Yin Xiaoya had single-handedly defeated a ten-thousand-year soul beast was enough to surprise him, but he remained vigilant.
Yin Xiaoya understood Jing Tieyang's apprehension. It was natural to be suspicious. He didn't bother explaining. His attention was on the ongoing scene.
The boy absorbing the soul ring had already absorbed the yellow soul ring from a hundred-year feather cat. Several corpses of the same spirit beast lay nearby. Except for the one that had its spirit ring absorbed, the others still had spirit rings floating above their bodies.
Yin Xiaoya knew what that meant. They had found a suitable soul beast, but because it was a group, they hunted others to get the better one. It was like shopping for the best product.
To Yin Xiaoya, sacrificing other existences to become stronger went against his chivalry. But this was Douluo Continent. This was the most normal routine for soul masters. No matter the cause and effect, they had to experience it. Yin Xiaoya couldn't comment on others' actions. Doing so was also against the spirit of chivalry.
[Host, the soul ring of the soul beast can also be used to unlock the item of a Kamen Rider]
The system's reminder made him feel better, which meant his appearance could bring some changes to the world.
"At least your deaths are no longer meaningless. System, what should I do?"
[Analyzing... Analysis complete. Six soul rings of feather cats, a century-old soul beast, have been found. These can be used to unlock the item of Kamen Rider Zero One: the program sublimation key.]
A gray key without any pictures appeared in Yin Xiaoya's hand. The routine was similar to how to integrate the bone scythe mantis into the coin, but this time Yin Xiaoya needed to send the soul ring to the program sublimation key.
[Host, all gray and white items are proof that they have not been unlocked. They will have their own color after they are successfully unlocked. In addition, the unlocked props can be provided by the system without any cost. After all, the most difficult unlocking link still needs to be completed by the host.]
"Understood, how do I get this sublimation key?"
[Open the sublimation key, tap all the target soul rings, and they will automatically merge into the key]
Nodding, Yin Xiaoya walked to the corpses of those feathered cats, "You don't need the soul rings of these feathered cats, do you? Can I take them away?"
Jing Tieyang was always vigilant, and asked involuntarily, "What do you want to do?"
"Turn nonsense into meaning."
He pushed the key lightly, huh? It wouldn't move. He added a little bit of strength, but it still didn't move. A bad premonition rose in his heart, and black lines stood up on Yin Xiaoya's forehead: "Hey, system, are you sure you are serious?"
[Strange, this setting was removed during the system reform]
Looking at the soul ring that was about to disappear, Yin Xiaoya could no longer care about the weird gazes from the people around him. With a ferocious face, he clasped the sublimation key firmly with both hands, and roared loudly: "Ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"
There was only a click, and the sublimation key was opened.
"System, change this setting for me no matter what!"
Panting, Yin Xiaoya swept the other end of the key across all the soul rings. The original gray sublimation key changed, and the whole turned into a blue color like a feathered cat. As if inspired, these spirit rings slowly gathered towards the sublimation key. The soul ring that had already dissipated radiated a light full of vitality at the moment it surrounded the sublimation key.
[Host! Quickly press the button on the sublimation key!]
Under the reminder of the system, Yin Xiaoya pressed the button, and a sound effect that belonged only to feather cats' sublimation key sounded.
[Wind Shadow]
The soul ring merged into the sublimation key, and a silver-rimmed feathered cat pattern appeared on the side of the sublimation key.
[Congratulations to the host, you have obtained an exclusive item: the feather cat program sublimation key. Can be used with various transformation devices in Kamen Rider Zero One]
Gently closing the sublimation key, Yin Xiaoya wiped off the sweat from breaking the key.
Su Xuan and others were used to it, but Jing Tieyang was different. He said to Su Xuan, "Miss, this person is suspicious. We'd better not have anything to do with him."
"What's suspicious? Martial spirits are in different forms in this world, and it's not the first time we've met someone with strange abilities. Besides, he saved us just now, and someone I invited was with us. You want me to drive people away now?"
"This..." Jing Tieyang hesitated, and finally compromised, "Okay, everything is up to Miss."
Yin Xiaoya didn't know how they discussed him. At this time, he was confirming the information of the nearest soul beast that could unlock the power of a main rider through the system.
***
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