All the children were standing together in an arena especially prepared for the ceremony.
The high priest in the fancy ceremonial robes and a funny hat was chanting some sort of prayer that was supposed to start the initiation.
Zombie was curiously looking around.
After all, this world was the world of an otome game, one of the capture targets, or maybe the villainess, or even the young heroine could be present!
After some thought, Zombie came to a conclusion that the capture targets or important characters would have unusual names, so they shouldn't be too difficult to spot.
Well, unusual or at least names that would differentiate them from the side characters.
His master name was Cranberry, his old name was Kiwi, and so on, so that alone would make them just a part of the background mob.
For some unknown reason, he decided that his current name, Zombie, wouldn't count.
But as for the actually important characters, the blue boy was pretty sure that the names would have to be at least as different from everyone else, as his older sister's name was. Caramel.
Even so, there really wasn't anyone noteworthy among the gathered children, at least based on the looks alone.
There were two or three that stood out, like a trembling brown-haired girl in rather plain robe-like clothes, clenching a long staff with red crystal as if it was her last lifeline.
Or a blond boy with an oversized sword on his back, who was trying to look particularly distinguished.
The blond boy's staged serious expression almost made Zombie laugh out loud.
(Does he think that's how a prideful person looks? Pathetic.)
The blue boy smirked as he ridiculed the blond boy in his head.
(That's how pride incarnate looks like!)
Zombie turned towards his master.
She had that unapproachable aura, as if there was no one that could stand by her side as equal.
And, as far as Zombie could tell just by looking at how the other kids were acting, there really was no one that could come even close.
The blue boy glanced back at the blond boy.
The difference was just too much for him to keep quiet.
"Graough... (Weakling.)"
He growled and his eyes shone momentarily.
Suddenly, the blond boy flinched and glared back at him while making a furious face.
"Ha ha-Ekhem...!"
The one who busted into laughter was none other than Cranberry, she barely managed to hide it by faking a cough and lightly slapped Zombie's arm.
"Ha...! Stop messing with a random pushover, Zombie! We're in the middle of a ceremony! You're using your taunt you know...? Ha ha...! Ekhem, ekhem!"
Cranberry was supposedly scolding her servant, but her expression full of joy and happy voice completely ruined the intended purpose.
"Graough...? (I am? My apologies, master!)"
Zombie focused on stopping the skill that he accidentally used and acted all serious when bowing his head towards the girl shaking from laughter.
"As long as you acknowledge your mistake."
She nodded benevolently to her servant, and then turned away and looked down on the blond boy.
Said boy was taller than Zombie but shorter than Cranberry.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})The girl smirked at him mockingly and then looked back at the high priest who was about to wrap things up.
The blond boy got red from shame and turned away then began staring at his feet.
"Do you accept the System?"
After a few more minutes of praying and casting blessing, the high priest spread his arms open and asked the children.
"We do!"
Said almost everyone.
"I accept."
Confirmed Cranberry and poked Zombie's side to hasten him.
"Graough...! (I accept...!)"
The blue boy groaned.
At that moment a bright light filled the area.
And at the same message showed up in front of every young human that agreed.
/Initiation complete
/Welcome, new player!
Yes, every human.
"Tsk...! I thought that it would work."
Cranberry clicked her tongue as soon as she noticed only one message.
"Graough... (I'm already your servant and an undead too, master.) Graough. (It was worth a try, at least.)"
Zombie shrugged his shoulders.
But then...
/Master of the eternal servant became a player
/Bond meter unlocked
Affection meter unlocked
/Bond level reached the maximum amount possible in the current stage of the story
Eternal servant magic (level 2):
Unlocked
Master can share their power with the servant
/Affection level reached the maximum amount possible in the current stage of the story
Form adjustment initiated...
Messages started popping up one after the other, and after the one about the form adjustment showed up, Zombie started glowing and...
*Riiiiiiip!*
His body, although still blue, suddenly grew, causing the clothes he was wearing to get torn apart almost completely.
His pants became shorts, the shirt disappeared, the vest lost all of its buttons and was hanging loosely from his shoulders, and the bowtie fell underneath his feet.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})/Adjustment complete
"Graough...? (What just happened...?)
Zombie groaned in shock and looked at his master.
And he looked her straight in the eyes!
They were now exactly the same height!
"Oh! That's convenient!"
Cranberry tilted her head and looked at Zombie from top to bottom.
"I was getting worried what will people say if I would bring an undead pipsqueak everywhere, but it looks like as long as that affection meter will reach a certain value, your body will change... It's probably safe to assume that it will match my age at the time. Pretty convenient."
She nodded to herself.
"Graough...! (Whew...! This is amazing!) Graough! (I was afraid that I will stay a seven-years-old forever!)"
The half-naked boy growled in relief.
"Graough...? (And my arm?!)"
He gasped and raised his right hand.
It also grew to match his new size but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move his fingers or the wrist at all.
"Graough... (That sucks...)"
The blue boy sighed and brushed his fringe to the side.
"Even your hair grew longer."
Cranberry pointed out.
"Let's just return to the waiting room, there's no need for us to be the center of attention."
She added and left without waiting for him.
/Master receives a quest (level 1)
Upgrade any skill to level 2
Reward: Master +1 free status point
/Quest completed
Reward granted
/System detected at least one maxed out skill
Special reward granted
Title: Hardworker
/Master receives a quest (level 1)
Gain at least one physical offense skill
Reward: Master +1 ATK
/Quest completed
Reward granted
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})/System detected at least one maxed out physical offense skill
Special reward granted
Master +10 ATK
/Master receives a quest (level 1)
Use any skill 10 times
Reward: Master +1 free status point
/Quest completed
Reward granted
/System detected at least one skill used over 10000 times
Special reward granted
Free skill
/Does the Master want to select a skill now?
"Ha! Something interesting popped up. Show me the available skills I can choose from."
Cranberry murmured so that other children won't hear her.
Getting even one special reward at level one was considered amazing.
Getting to choose a skill as a reward would cause a huge commotion...
IF someone else would hear about that.
Certainly, if lady Raspberry would learn about it, she would definitely try to choose a skill for Cranberry without listening or even asking for her opinion.
The young girl was simply saving herself the hassle by keeping a low profile.
"Hey, Zombie, I want to try something, but first... which one would you like better, an offensive skill or a defensive one?"
She glanced at her servant.
"Graough? (Which one I would like?)"
He groaned and pointed at himself to be sure.
"Yes. You."
Cranberry nodded and lifted her index finger.
"Would you prefer an offensive skill?"
She asked.
"Or a defensive one?"
She added and lifted her middle finger.
"Graough! (An offensive one!)".
Zombie growled in high spirits and lifted his index finger.
"Graough! (I already have some defensive skills but since you forbade me from using bite and corpse venom, I completely lack any means of attack!)"
"So we think alike. I select the skill number four."
/Skill selected
/Master receives a skill
Strong kick (level 1)
/Master receives a quest (level 1)
Defeat your first monster
Reward: Master +5 HP
/Master receives a story quest (level 1)
Gain a follower
(Eternal servant does not count towards the total number of followers)
Reward: Master +10 MP
/Master receives a class quest (level 1)
Upgrade eternal servant magic to level 2
Reward: Servant +5% permanent EXP boost
/Class quest completed
Reward granted
/Master receives a class quest (level one)
Upgrade any Servant's skill to level 2
Reward: Servant +1 DEF, +1MDF, +1 AGI
/Class quest completed
Reward granted
/System detected that the Servant has at least one maxed out skill
Special reward granted
Servant +5 DEF, +5 MDF, +5 AGI
"Graough...! (That was a lot!)"
Zombie let out a shocked groan.
"Graough? (But, master, why did you chose a strong kick as a skill?) Graough...? (Wasn't there anything better?)"
He tilted his head.
"Haa..."
Cranberry glanced at her servant and sighed a bit disappointed.
"Hey, System, I want to share a skill with my servant."
She declared, minding her voice so that others won't hear her.
/Calculating...
/Eternal servant magic level 2 detected
Request granted
Master can select a skill to share with the Servant
The message popped up.
"Graough...! (Ooooh! I see!)"
"Share, strong kick."
Cranberry said ignoring Zombie's groans.
/Request granted
Please choose for how long to share the skill
"Permanently."
There was no hesitation at all.
/Calculating...
/Request granted
Master's permanently shares a skill/
/Servant receives a shared skill
Strong kick (level 1)
"Graough! (Ah! Thank you! Master, I love you!)"
"...hmph... it's nothing..."
Zombie jumped up from the excitement but Cranberry quickly looked away and shrugged her shoulders.
/Warning
Third party interference with the story detected
/Calculating...
/Error
/Master's level too low
Servant's level too low
Eternal servant magic level too low
/Critical danger to the story detected
/Calculating...
/Adjusting the story event...
/Master receives an emergency quest
Survive your first fight
Reward: Master +300 HP, +150 MP, title: Survivor
"...!"
"Graough?! (The hell is this?!)"
