Dave looked up at the village gate and read the weathered name carved on the side. "Hmm... I don’t know this language" he murmured, squinting slightly. Of course, he knew he was now in the Douluo Dalu world, where the language and landscape were very different.
[ Language Pack Installed... ]
Almost immediately, Dave—and the others—felt the shift. They now understood the local language, the writing, and even the mannerisms of the people.
Tony, Bucky, Shuri, Natasha, Steve, and Bruce looked at the same sign above the village gate, all reading it now with ease: "Emperor Soul Village."
"Hmm. Let’s go in," Dave said, casually leading them inside.
The village was humble. Dusty paths, old houses, and worn fences lined the area. There were children playing in one corner, while a few elders sat by the side of the path, discussing crops and soul beasts.
An older man noticed the group and approached, eyeing them with curiosity. "Hmm? Who are you kids?"
Dave stepped forward and spoke in a trembling voice, putting on a performance. "Elder... our village... it was attacked by Wolf Thieves. We escaped into the forest and walked for days. We’re just lost... and scared."
As he said this, Dave lowered his head and even let a tear slip from the corner of his eye. The others followed his lead—quiet, solemn, and pitiful.
The elder’s face softened. He placed a hand on Dave’s shoulder and nodded, "Poor children. You’ve been through a lot. Come, we’ll get you something to eat and a place to stay."
Mental Link - Private Ring Channel
Tony: Damn, I feel like I’m deep in a spy op right now.
Bucky: Why are we even acting again?
Natasha: How else are we supposed to explain that we’re from another world?
Shuri: I’m more afraid they’ll drag us to some lab and dissect us for "research."
Steve: I think Dave’s got the right idea. Best to stay under the radar.
Thanks to the linked rings Dave had handed them earlier, they could all communicate mentally without being overheard. A priceless advantage in a world like Douluo Dalu, where danger was often hidden behind kindness, and entire families could be wiped out just to maintain the so-called superiority of a top-tier Martial Spirit lineage.
And now, they had officially blended in.
Soon, the old man led them to a small, abandoned house near the village edge. The wooden boards creaked as he pushed the door open.
"This house used to belong to a villager," he explained, brushing some dust off the windowsill. "Poor guy got eaten by a beast... lost his life trying to protect the crops. But it’s still sturdy. You kids can stay here from now on."
He paused, glancing back at them with curious eyes. "By the way... do any of you have awakened your Martial Spirits?"
As he asked this, his gaze moved from one child to the next. Every one of them stood with an air of calm poise, elegant and confident—more like young nobles in disguise than regular village children. The old man’s eyes narrowed slightly, suspicious but not unfriendly.
’It seems these children aren’t from ordinary stock,’ he thought. ’Maybe from a fallen noble family? Sent away after some disaster?’ He made a mental note to keep a close watch.
"No, we don’t," Dave answered casually, watching the old man’s reaction.
The old man’s eyes lit up. "Good, good. Then you’re just in time. In two days, the Spirit Master from the Spirit Hall will arrive. He visits every year to awaken the Martial Spirits of six-year-olds. All children of Emperor Soul Village must attend the awakening ceremony."
Dave nodded. "Thank you, elder."
The old man grinned, muttering to himself happily as he shuffled off. "Gotta bring some food for them... poor kids must be starving..."
Once he was out of earshot, Tony leaned over to Dave and whispered, "Why was he so excited about our Martial Spirits? And... uh, what even is a Martial Spirit?"
Dave sat down on the wooden steps, patting the spot beside him. "Alright, I guess now’s the time for some world-building."
The others gathered around as Dave began explaining.
"In this world," he started, "every six-year-old gets their Martial Spirit awakened. Think of it like a unique power or affinity tied to your soul. It can be anything—from a blade of grass..." he waved his hand, and an image of floating blue silver grass flickered in the air, "...to powerful beasts like phoenixes or dragons."
Tony blinked. "So, they can be either lame or legendary."
"Exactly," Dave nodded. "There are spirit masters who train kids with low-tier spirits in basic techniques. But those born with higher-tier or beast-type spirits? They’re rare—and dangerous."
Bruce adjusted his glasses. "So what happens when we awaken ours?"
Dave smirked. "We won’t be awakening random ones. Remember, we’ve all been bound to legacy characters from the Genshin world. Our Martial Spirits will align with those powers. Like Bucky—he got bound to Kazuha, so expect wind or blade-based spirits."
"And me?" asked Steve.
"You’re Alhaitham, so you’ll probably get something Dendro-based, maybe linked to intellect or construct blades."
Natasha folded her arms. "I better not get stuck with a broomstick."
Dave laughed. "You’re Chiori, the Geo fashionista-swordswoman. You’re gonna be slicing stone like it’s fabric."
Tony gave a half-smirk. "What about me?"
"You got bound to a male version of Yae Miko. That means a powerful Electro spirit, maybe a fox-type or something ancient."
Everyone nodded thoughtfully.
"We’ve technically already received those legacies. That’s why you’re feeling new instincts in battle. But during the spirit awakening, our Martial Spirits will formalize, and we’ll gain real cultivation pathways. The stronger our spirits, the more advanced our growth."
Shuri tilted her head. "Your Demonic Contracts really gave us the cheat codes, huh?"
Dave shrugged. "Demon Contracts aren’t for everyone. You guys are lucky you’re my friends."
They all exchanged looks, a grin spreading across Tony’s face.
"Well then—thank you, oh great one," Tony said dramatically, sweeping into an exaggerated bow. The others followed, playfully mocking a royal court, bowing with grand gestures.
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