Nostalgic Gamer in a Cultivation World

Serge was so confused when Dyne began to explain where they were and what had happened. He was stunned as he went outside and couldn’t believe what was happening.

It was just too much to absorb.

"I'm in a world that is more than a decade older than the ones in my memories? This Mist have nearly wiped out all of humanity as the Serus became evil?" Serge mumbled in disbelief.

The serus that they used to protect themselves against monsters were now the cause of many deaths! Serge wouldn’t believe it and moved up the cave and saw the thick Mist that covered the bottom of the mountain.

“But my village Arni! What became of it?!” He asked with a worried expression.

“Was there a village called Arni in Legaia?” Dyne asked Strafe.

“I don’t know. Remember that I only had so much power to create Fate. In this world, while there could be a few villages near Rim Elm, it shouldn’t have made Arni. I’m guessing that it only exists in the alternate world that Calamitus created.”

“I thought so…” Dyne turned to Serge.

“Listen. This is the future, but you are the Chrono Trigger. Did you previously have an experience of drowning in the past?”

“Answer me! What happened to my village?!”

“Relax, Serge! Jeez! You are supposed to be a silent protagonist!” Dyne complained.

“I am usually quiet! But my hometown…!”

“Is alright! As I said, you are the Chrono Trigger! You are something that connects the two timelines between this world and yours. Your world still exists. Everything that I said has not yet happened. And we can stop it from happening! You’ve entered the twilight zone! This is a world that is different. The other world exists. But in this world, you will meet people from your memory, but things have changed!” Dyne kept explaining the details to Serge, who was so confused.

Rena and Arya, on the other hand, were amazed.

“How did big Brother Dyne know all this? This place… is so mysterious!” Rena was amazed.

Arya was a Martial formation expert, but she couldn’t believe the tale and explanation of Dyne.

The pair had learned more about Legaia and already understood what Dyne had always told them about living in another world. But now, they were shocked to know that there was more than one world! It just didn’t make any sense!

Noa was asking Terra again and again, and Terra was as lost as she was.

“Jedo. Is there a way for you to reverse that spell?” Dyne asked.

“Actually… there is something in this water. The Time/Space energy in that water has not disappeared yet. So it could be possible. I’m just too weak to trigger it right now!”

“A Genesis Tree might help. This is good! Calamitus is giving me a chance to save both worlds!” Dyne smiled.

“Listen, Serge… I don’t understand most of what happened, but something about you connects me to your world. Your world will fall into something like this unless we do something. So, for now, our goal is to get stronger. Can you do magic?” Dyne asked.

“No. Of course not! Why would I be able to do magic? I had a Vera with me, but now it’s gone!” Serge sighed.

“Big Sis Rena… Can you please check with Serge? He should be something like you. Please check if she can do magic.” Dyne smiled mysteriously.

“Alright, Big Brother.” Rena didn’t understand but decided to follow instructions of Dyne.

“A Vera, huh? Interestingly, he should be a Seru but is created as a human. I’m guessing you are something in between this world and the human cultivators of Brigandine.” Dyne observed with a strange smile.

It was only then that Terra and Jedo realized it.

“As I thought. Calamitus did this. A Sprite-Human hybrid. This is one of the more powerful races. Sprite-Human hybrids are many of the strongest Mind Cultivators and those who managed to reach Godhood specializing in that. Unlike Amorien and other human cultivators, they are more in-tuned with magic. It's like they are born with a Mind Palace already established. And they are beings that can easily create a Soul Seed! Such advantages make them the best spell casters in the universe.”

“Just like me, right? Isn’t my soul like this? After all, I have a great affinity for the elements. So it’s good that you weren’t being a cheapskate and created me like a human.” Dyne asked.

“Ye-yeah. Just li-like you. You found me out.” Strafe answered.

“But why do I feel like Serge is like… two serus?” Dyne turned his attention to Serge. His obsession with the game didn’t make him notice Strafe’s hesitation.

Jedo was curious as to why Strafe hesitated and how Dyne, who usually would pick up such obvious cues, was numb to it all.

“Calamitus prepared this person to be like this and used his transfer here to merge and awaken his Sprite powers. Hybrids like these are quite rare since the birth rate of a Sprite and human is near impossible. Think of it this way…” Strafe was about to explain.

“Virgin birth?” Dyne hazard, a guessed.

“… Yes. Something like that.” Strafe sighed as Dyne already got the gist of what he was about to say.

“A strong Sprite Cultivator with high Bodily Cultivation managed to interact and create another soul in a human. I‘m guessing that these half-sprites can do the same thing as the characters in Chrono Cross. With the right elements in their hand, they can perform magic. Of course, they cannot absorb Seru as the Ra-Seru can. But they can wield another. So Serge has a soul like mine. You know, since you gave me such a soul, maybe your not such a cheapskate after all.” Dyne smiled as he thought about the possibilities of his cultivation.

“Good, you know.” Strafe gave a cheerful response.

But he and the soul poison were feeling great pain. Both of them had a soul and lineage that were from Gods. They had advantages that were far superior to a Sprite-Human Hybrid! And yet, they were not like Dyne, who was human. While Strafe was able to reform Dyne’s body, changing one’s soul was just difficult. The soul was the most basic element that made up sentient lifeforms. Processes and procedures to change that were too hard! Dyne’s human soul only receives certain alterations. But anything else was attributed to Dyne’s innate ingeniousness.

“I think if I look for a way to make everyone something like a half-breed, I can create a Materia system of Final Fantasy VII or the Junction system of VIII. This should also help them cultivate by becoming hybrid forms of Mind Cultivators.” Dyne pondered.

A flash of light appeared as Serge suddenly released magic at Rena’s instruction.

“What the…!” Serge was shocked as powerful light magic appeared.

“Great! Magnificent! Serge! The Chrono Trigger! Let us play Chrono Cross to our heart’s content!” Dyne laughed.

Jedo and Strafe were shaking their heads.

A day passed, and the group continued their journey. But this time, they had another companion.

In the wide-open planes below the mountain regions…

A Grim and Zenoir team was doing its basic patrol.

FWIP!

A single arrow shot out and struck the Zenoir.

STAB!

The powerful arrow dug deep, causing the Zenoir to stagger.

Several Chocobos suddenly appeared and used Spirit Charge.

SMASH! SMASH! SMASH!

Chocobos of the Round occurred once more, and Dyne jumped and punched down.

Dyne began to harness his energy and absorb the Zenoir as Brimstone erupted. The Zenoir felt as if a stronger and more powerful Seru was devouring its soul. It struggled but was beginning to vanish. He was Seru, born of the Mist. But as Dyne expected, it was easy to purge the soul now. Especially with Jedo helping him.

The Soul of the Zenoir dissipated, and Dyne acquired the powers to summon a Zenoir.

“Too bad this Zenoir was born of the Mist. Only Jedo and I can tame it. Let’s look for another one. Hopefully, we’ll find a Seru that Terra can absorb.” Dyne called out to the team.

Dyne laughed as he saw how much he had grown. The last time they fought a Zenoir, he had to exert a lot of effort. But now, a single punch could deal massive attacks to a Zenoir.

“If I use Trance, I should be able to one-it this. Hey Jedo. How many rounds of Trance can I make with the Mist you gathered?” Dyne asked.

“I’ve taken in the most Mist I can contain without hindering my abilities. With it, you can perform two Trances. And if you performed it twice, I’d need a day to gather enough to help you achieve another two.”

“So basically, I get one Trance at half-a-days time of you being exposed to the Mist.”

“It also depends on the thickness of the Mist.”

“Got it. I’ll keep that in mind. You alright, Serge?” Dyne asked as another Chocobo approached with a very disgruntled Serge riding it.

Serge was doing his best not to attack Dyne. He felt like he was becoming wild as he moved within the Mist. Dyne had to constantly be near Serge and use the powers of the Ra-Seru to help them repel the Mist. But even then, the long exposure was starting to take a toll on Serge.

“I’m… Fine. We have to hurry.” Serge had a very pained and angry expression.