Rosha squints at Courtney, “Then what about this telepathy nonsense?”

Courtney coughs, “The technology that we use to get into NeoRealm can not read minds. In NeoRealm, however, there are very rare instances of reading surface level thoughts. Most times this isn’t even caught. After all, when a player hears something like what Peter just said, they would dismiss it. They think that of course the locals would have the ability to talk telepathically to their companions, have to balance players and their special methods of communication.”

“Now Jason, why didn’t you just let it drop? Rosha’s family is a bit deeper into things and so from a young age she has been learning a few deeper truths. We both know I’ve done a thorough check on your background. There is nothing in your past going back five generations that would indicate this.”

Jason puts his hands together flat and rests his head on them with his thumbs under his chin. Time passes by slowly as he weighs a few things in his head. ‘I can’t really tell them about my reincarnation. While ever popular as a story genre no one really claims it anymore, not even the religions. Plus I really don’t want that sort of thing recorded somehow.’

Courtney frowns, but Rosha motions her to let Jason continue. And continue he does, for there are other things he could tell them about. For instance, ‘Even if I don’t tell them about that I could mention my irl cultivation. I would prefer to keep that under wraps, at least until I’ve formed my core. As the first step, it shouldn’t take me much longer.’

‘However it would be the perfect method of explaining things. After all, being able to detect mystical energies outside of VR would explain me being more open minded about this kind of thing. However how would I explain starting to cultivate in the first place? While I have to assume someone out there has discovered the energies, why would I have done so? Courtney just flat out admitted having checked my family back at least five generations.’

His thoughts spin in circles until Courtney is past waiting. She stomps the ground, “Why did you not instantly drop the idea? Schools have a very carefully modulated lesson plan around VR, made to make even the mildest infringement upon the mind unimaginable. If you were the type that could just throw off that level of indoctrination without proof otherwise you wouldn’t be here. The government would have picked up you for special training and you would have ended up starting in one of the few player controlled cities.”

Jason lets out a long sigh. He wasn’t quite sure about the path he had decided on. But he also didn’t want to find out what methods Courtney had when defending Rosha. “So I technically formed my core at level zero, right? Sure, at the start I had a few levels under my belt, but the process I went through to form the core stripped those levels away.”

Jason stops there for a second when a thought flashes through his mind. While he does still want to eventually tell them about cultivation, a much better reason popped into his mind just now. Before the pause gets too long he coughs and continues. “Sorry, I was just recalling how it happened there. Anyway, soon after I formed the core I also created my cultivation method. To finalize that it sucked me into a white room and in there with me was the person who guided me in the tutorial. Now let me ask you, did you get yours to share their name with you?”

Courtney frowns, “What does that have to do with anything? Sure they are gods, but everyone knows their names already.”

Jason shakes his head, “There is an enormous difference between their actual names and what everyone calls them.”

Courtney rolls her eyes at this, “Unless they literally are sending the name directly into your head I don’t see how whether a god of war gets called Ares or Mars would make a difference.”

Jason clasps his hands behind his neck and leans back. “I can’t say her name correctly. None of us can, that’s why the religions use a different name. My guide was Starlight, goddess of potential. Now this might take a few tries and you know what? Going to pray to her real quick just to let her know what is going on.”

Courtney laughs, “As if she would bother listening to such a nonsense prayer. Sure, the AIs in charge of the gods are powerful, but that doesn’t mean they can listen to everyone.”

Jason shrugs, “We will have to see, though I did think of something else.” And he turns towards the direction Peter left then yells, “Hey Peter, about to talk something super sensitive, can I borrow you silence shell?”

Off in the distance Peter shakes his head before yelling back, “Why didn’t you just ask for it in the first place? But yeah, sure.” Then he lobs it towards the group.

After hearing Peter’s response, Rosha and Courtney turn to watch for him to arrive. Jason on the other hand had a better idea what would likely happen and watched the sky. When the shell falls down towards them the other two are surprised by Jason’s sudden movement only to find him holding the shell.

Rosha frowns, “You would think he would treat a sentimental gift better.”

Jason laughs, “There isn’t anything within who knows how many miles of us right now that could damage it. Did you think his husband was any lower level than he is? The materials it is made from might not be the toughest things around, but the guy’s an enchanter! If you bet on anything besides it being near indestructible to anything below their level you aren’t thinking it through well enough.”

Rosha is about to say something else but then realizes the implications of what Jason just said. “And he probably doesn’t have to worry about losing it because there will be an enchantment to find it.”