"Ah, finally going home." After finishing a series of commissions and looking at the bar where only he remained, Chen Luo sighed.
Hmm, Senti isn't human, so she doesn't count.
Just moments ago, Chen Luo had sent Yae Sakura to St. Freya Academy using the teleport waypoint placed by Kiana at their doorstep.
Without teleport waypoints, Chen Luo couldn't use the locations logged when others entered or exited the bar.
Because of this, Chen Luo finally bribed Kiana with a large box of ice cream to quickly place the teleport waypoint somewhere in St. Freya Academy.
But that lazy Kiana simply tossed the teleport waypoint at the doorstep of Himeko's house and considered the task complete.
Kiana actually placed the teleport waypoint right at her own doorstep! And it was Chen Luo's teleport waypoint!
Chen Luo didn't quite understand, but he was greatly shocked.
Because of this, the last time Chen Luo opened the bar door, it appeared right in front of Himeko's door.
To help Yae Sakura integrate into St. Freya Academy as soon as possible, Chen Luo specially spent 10 crystals to purchase a St. Freya Academy Teacher's Orientation Guide and a matching teacher-grade communicator.
However, Chen Luo didn't tell Theresa, because he felt Yae Sakura should be able to handle these matters herself.
A 500-year-old person shouldn't have trouble attending school, right? Even if it's to teach students.
Chen Luo was developing Yae Sakura in the direction of Yae Kasumi.
Chen Luo felt Yae Sakura had the potential to master stealth, assassination, infiltration, and disguise.
Originally, Chen Luo planned to leave Yae Sakura at the survivor base for a while, but Rin volunteered to take on the task of protecting the survivor base.
There was really nothing to protect at the survivor base, as the zombies and Honkai beasts within a 10-kilometer radius had been nearly wiped out by Chen Luo.
And in case of any real emergency, as Chen Luo's semi-puppet, Rin also had the ability to mobilize the Honkai beasts under Chen Luo's command.
Although Rin had lost her Herrscher of Corruption authority, she still retained some powerful abilities, like spitting fireballs.
In short, protecting the survivor base was completely feasible.
But because of this, Raven, who could have had a companion to fly back to World Serpent with, lost that companion.
Standing in place, Chen Luo recalled the various events that had happened recently. After confirming he had basically handled everything, he hung a "Closed Today" sign on the commission board.
I'm not opening shop today!
After grinding through 7 days of activities, can't I enjoy myself a little?
"Let's go home." After saying this to the Herrscher of Sentience standing beside him, Chen Luo pushed open the Midnight bar door. On the other side was Chen Luo's living room.
Chen Luo and the Herrscher of Sentience glanced at each other and stepped through the door together.
"Ugh cough, what is this feeling?" The moment Chen Luo stepped into his living room, his legs went weak, and he almost knelt down.
Chen Luo now felt like a fish out of water, having difficulty breathing.
Of course, the situation wasn't that severe—it was just a very strange feeling of blockage.
"Huh? A'Luo, what's wrong? Don't scare me?" Seeing Chen Luo's unusual state, the Herrscher of Sentience immediately asked concernedly.
"I feel some difficulty breathing, but not completely. Overall, there's a slight sense of blockage." Chen Luo didn't hide his condition.
"...I think I might know what's happening to you." The Herrscher of Sentience looked at Chen Luo, her face full of strangeness.
"What is it? Just say it."
"Uh, acclimatization." The Herrscher of Sentience hesitated before speaking.
"Acclimatization? I'm returning to my own home and I am getting acclimatized? That's ridiculous, I..."
"What? Realized it now? Not arguing anymore? Your condition is exactly the same as when Yae Sakura came to our world, even more severe because you're no longer an ordinary person but a Herrscher—a true Herrscher with two authorities." The Herrscher of Sentience said.
However, the Herrscher of Sentience wasn't gloating but rather somewhat worried.
"..." Chen Luo was instantly speechless.
This is disastrous! Clearly, the Herrscher of Sentience, an otherworlder, is thriving in my world, but after I went to another world and returned to my own, I need to acclimatize?
Is there no justice? Is there no law?
"Talent Panel!" Feeling that although not fatal or even particularly life-affecting but still very uncomfortable sense of blockage, Chen Luo immediately summoned the talent panel.
Chen Luo figured if he stayed in this state, he probably wouldn't even be able to sleep properly.
This is really damn annoying.
Becoming a Herrscher is indeed a good thing, gaining two authorities is also good.
But what does it mean that after becoming a Herrscher, I can't move freely in my own world?
I might as well not be a Herrscher!
Chen Luo might never go to the Honkai world again, but he absolutely cannot never return to his own world.
"Talent Panel, why do I need to acclimatize after becoming a Herrscher and returning home? Your after-sales service has problems!" Chen Luo said quite dissatisfied.
[After inspection, no abnormalities found]
"No abnormalities? Isn't this the biggest abnormality? When something bought from you has problems, you need to take responsibility."
[After review, the cause of the current "acclimatization" in this world is becoming a true Herrscher. However, Herrscher authorities were not obtained through the talent panel purchase, so they are not covered by after-sales service.]
"How is this not..." Chen Luo was about to criticize the talent panel for this irresponsible behavior, but...
But these two Herrscher authorities and this Herrscher identity indeed weren't given by the talent panel.
Chen Luo became a Herrscher on his own; this Herrscher Physique was also autonomously transformed in the Honkai world. The Herrscher of Domination authority came with becoming a Herrscher, and the Herrscher of Corruption authority was obtained through his own plunder. These really don't seem to be sold by the talent panel.
And according to the talent panel's nature—where after purchasing Mobius's resurrection ability, it didn't modify Chen Luo's body but transformed it into a concept attached to Chen Luo—if Chen Luo spent Primogems or crystals to purchase authorities, the talent panel would need to modify them before giving them to Chen Luo.
That is, transforming them from purely physical authorities into conceptual forms.
Leaving aside whether this modification strengthens the innate ability, the modified innate skills can be used in all worlds.
Items purchased through the talent panel come with three guarantees: guaranteed quality, guaranteed normal operation, and guaranteed usability in all worlds.
While abilities obtained through other means are like unverified products—they might work wonders in their original world but cannot be used in other worlds, or might even cause acclimatization issues.
Just like now.
"This isn't right. The reason I became a Herrscher is because my Honkai energy adaptability reached 200%, and I equipped a Stigmata. But aren't both Honkai energy adaptability and Stigmata obtained through events? Ultimately, aren't these still given by the talent system?"
Although Chen Luo understood the logic in his heart, he couldn't admit defeat verbally.
Because Chen Luo already had a premonition that the talent panel was about to say something.
[Would you like to spend 4500 crystals to modify the two Herrscher authorities and the Herrscher Physique?]
The talent panel completely ignored Chen Luo's complaints and spoke rather heartlessly.
"Dammit! Can't it be cheaper?" Chen Luo said discontentedly.
In response to Chen Luo's question, the talent panel didn't even display an extra word.
"Then can I know what exactly these 4500 crystals are being spent on?" Chen Luo asked somewhat unwillingly.
Chen Luo tried to find the unreasonable aspects of this charging item.
[Modifying two Herrscher authorities: Each Herrscher authority modification costs 2000 crystals, totaling 4000 crystals. After modification, the authorities will become conceptual-type talents usable in all worlds.]
[Modifying the Herrscher Physique: Transforming it into a semi-conceptual physique, retaining the characteristics of the Herrscher Physique, including the ability to control Honkai beasts in the Honkai world and connect to the Honkai consciousness, while adding the option to shield from the Honkai consciousness's observation. Making it usable in all worlds without any negative effects, and allowing further stacking with other semi-conceptual or conceptual physiques. However, this will correspondingly reduce the physical strength increase from the Herrscher Physique. Modification cost: 1000 crystals.]
[Total: 5000 crystals. Currently under a limited-time 10% discount, final charge: 4500 crystals.]
The talent panel methodically listed all the charging items, project effects, and discounts on the panel.
"This..." Chen Luo was momentarily speechless.
To be fair, if Chen Luo only looked at these literal effect displays, he felt the prices were somewhat reasonable.
Even though Chen Luo was practically broke, with only over 28,000 crystals left, he inexplicably felt the price was appropriate.
Once the two authorities were fixed as conceptual talents, it would be like Chen Luo purchasing the Herrscher of Sentience authority from the Herrscher of Sentience—usable worldwide.
Another benefit of upgrading authorities into talents was that these talents couldn't be stolen.
Originally, the Herrscher of Domination authority and other Herrscher authorities obtained through plunder could potentially be taken back, but once fixed as talents, they would completely belong to Chen Luo and couldn't be stolen.
Even the most powerful abilities or exclusive items could at most seal Chen Luo's abilities but not steal them.
As for the semi-conceptual explanation regarding the Herrscher Physique, the talent panel also provided an answer.
The gist was that semi-conceptual physiques were indeed better than ordinary physiques but not qualified enough to be upgraded to conceptual level.
Simply put, they were neither here nor there.
After semi-conceptualization, Chen Luo's body would revert to an ordinary human body, with the Herrscher Physique becoming like a title in a game that adds certain physical attributes, though not as high as the original Herrscher Physique.
Of course, the benefit was that Chen Luo could continue stacking other semi-conceptual or conceptual physiques onto his human body.
Perhaps one day, Chen Luo would truly become an ordinary person who is both an angel and a demon, both a fallen angel and a Digimon, both a Herrscher and a deity, both a god and a slime...
However, although the modified Herrscher Physique didn't increase attributes as much as the original, the original Herrscher Physique didn't increase attributes that much either.
After all, Herrschers of a Thousand are all low-level Herrschers, good at infiltration but not at direct combat, so even Chen Luo's Herrscher of a Thousand didn't increase physical fitness as much as other Herrschers.
So losing some attributes wasn't a big deal; Chen Luo wasn't someone who relied on attributes to fight anyway.
Chen Luo fought using various special attacks and conceptual skills.
Of course, physical fitness was definitely important, but there were other ways to improve it, so no big deal.
[Would you like to proceed with the modification?]
"Modify, modify, modify. What else can I do if I don't?" Chen Luo said irritably.
If he didn't modify, would Chen Luo have to be a deadbeat who could only experience normal breathing in the Honkai world for the rest of his life?
Even though he could be considered thriving smoothly in the Honkai world, he still had to return home.
Besides, if he didn't modify, wouldn't he have to suffer acclimatization every time he went to another world for missions?
This time, returning to his own world only caused some breathing obstruction, but what if going to another world caused death?
It's just 4500 crystals, right? Aren't crystals meant to be spent?
It's just that having to spend money to modify abilities he worked hard to obtain made Chen Luo very displeased.
But the good news was that after modification, as long as Chen Luo actively turned off the Herrscher Physique, he could continue earning rewards by fighting Honkai beasts.
And when he wanted to create Honkai beasts, he could just turn the Herrscher Physique back on.
It could be said to be very perfect.
[Modification duration: 24 hours. You will fall into a deep sleep during this period. Would you like to start immediately?]
"Wait a moment, let me get to my bed first." After hearing this, Chen Luo hurriedly ran toward his room.
"Senti, remember to hide any signs of my return, and don't let anyone discover you either. If there's really a problem, take me to the Midnight bar. I'm going to sleep for 24 hours next." Chen Luo said to the Herrscher of Sentience.
"Leave it to me." The Herrscher of Sentience nodded.
After returning to his room and lying on his bed with great nostalgia, Chen Luo began to think if he had forgotten anything, since he was going to sleep for 24 hours.
"Hmm, no one will come looking for me, and I specifically put up a closed sign at the bar. It should be fine." Unable to think of any task he needed to do, Chen Luo slowly fell asleep under the influence of the talent panel.
* * *
"Ah, another day where all my money is spent. Although, but, these research instruments really are necessary purchases. But thankfully, there's still the great bar owner providing meals." After receiving the latest astrology instrument and paying the balance, Mona sighed, her heart full of anticipation.
What dish will it be today?
I hope it's not too greasy, after all, I need to maintain my figure…