"Halfsie. Shouldn't you start selling your system now?" She glanced at the goofball who squinted its scarlet eyes. The conniving look plastered on its face made her sneer.
[ You're pure alright. Purely pretentious.] She shook her head and criticized. Anyway, she wouldn't mind its sly personality because she finds it entertaining.
"Host, why should I sell the main system?" It asked in confusion, clearly having no idea what the host was talking about.
" I mean tell me of everything I need to know about the system and the mission." She stood up, stretched her limbs while examining the place they currently in. Nothing in sight, just a never-ending white space. She can't even approximate the size of this area.
" What is this place anyway?" She lay back on her side and cupped her chin.
The furry ball bounced towards her, finding a better spot to explain itself.
" This is our system space, host. It is what the main system gave us as our personal space. Only the two of us can enter." Glancing at the host the lacked enthusiasm, it kept going.
"Host, this is an area outside the planes. It's a domain not ruled by the Heavenly Laws."
Still not getting the positive reaction it anticipated from the host, it continued.
" To simply put, this is our very own unrestricted world, host." Every word was uttered almost through gritted teeth.
[ Host, come on! Our private domain, outside the planes and unaffected by the Laws of Heaven?! Nothing? No reaction at all?] It wanted to vigorously shake the host who's so hard to please.
Nonetheless, the apathetic girl remained languid. She only curled the tip of her hair around her finger and hummed.
Well, you really can't blame her. The hell she cares if it's beyond whatever law or something. The only thing that mattered to her was the fact that this world is very austere. Nothing exists. Not even a bed or sofa to recline on. Ascetic monks might still appreciate this place but not her. After all, she is a person immersed in the pleasures of worldly things.
Seeing her puffy ball who almost pulled out its fur in frustration, she asked.
" Can we have things here?"
Finally recalling the other wondrous things it can entice the host with, the system was energized.
" Of course, host! You can keep the loot you have taken in other worlds or the things you have bought from the System Store." An excited voice said.
[Loot huh.] Then looking at the unending space around her, she smiled meaningfully.
" What is the store selling? What currency do we need?" She focused on the other interesting information she heard.
" Host, you exchange items with the points earned when you accomplished the mission."
" About what the store is selling, I'm not quite sure. It appears you can only access the store once you have points. "
She nodded her head and spoke,
" Okay, continue about the mission."
She yawned and shut her eyes. She believed this is going to be a long discussion.
Halfsie can finally talk about the subject matter. However, looking at the host, she appears unenthusiastic. It hoped she won't sleep halfway and make it repeat everything. It's rather taxing to speak so much, it thought.
If she hears what the blabbermouth is brooding on, she might roll her eyes again.
" Host, as you know I am System 333, the guide for the "Corrupt the Heavenly Being System". The main task is to convert that person's "good trait" to "evil traits". The success of the mission means you have managed to turn that person into 100% evil. " Observing that the boss is listening and not sleeping, Halfsie went on.
" Points earned is according to the difficulty of the task or the world setting. The lowest is Class D, with 200 points, class C- 300 points, class B – 400 points, class A- 500 points and S class, the highest difficulty is 1000 points. Also, you will get consolation points if you didn't succeed, the system will give you 100 points."
[Consolation points? How benevolent.] She didn't expect this evil-seeding machine of a system to be so generous.
"How much is the stuff marketed in the store?" She's thinking of buying a cozy bed and wondered how much she'll have to pay. Being broke feels bad, she mulled.
[Better yet, I will get the coziest bed from the next world.] Then recalling the vastness of their world,
[ or hoard everything I want.] She grinned, totally delighted about such feasibility.
" Host, I don't know. The manual didn't say the price range of the items or what items will be sold."
The furball inwardly felt unsatisfied. It was stocked with almost all the information on all things yet didn't even know the items in their own store. It wanted to file a complaint to the main system.
" Go on." She gestured to the fluffy creature to carry on with the orientation. However, the furball remained silent. She then opened her eyes and peered over.
" Well host, that's all there is to it." Its voice quite joyous since its host listened through it all.
Hearing what the little guy just said, she unconsciously sat up. Maybe she just had an auditory hallucination.
" Nothing to add?" she inquired. She thought the system must be fooling her. It didn't even mention the do's and don'ts or the must knows.
" Oh! There is one more. After finishing your task, you can choose to stay and live until you exhaust the host body's life or leave immediately."
" Host body? Who is that?" She caught a significant detail.
" The person in that world who will lend you their body to achieve the goal. They can either be a person near the Heavenly being or not an acquaintance at all. Despite that, all the host bodies will have the most suitable setting that can accommodate your soul, host"
The idea surprised her. She assumed she would materialize a body of her own once in the mission world. At any rate, it seems she'll live up to her status as a ghost. Then ruminating further on what Halfsie has said just now, she asked.
" Will your system kill them just to let me possess their bodies? " Her tone was nonchalant but the atmosphere around her suddenly felt tense.
She didn't care about those people's life and death. Still, robbing someone, possessing their things and being unapologetic about it. That idea of them acting as if they are entitled to do so rather irked her. It annoys her real bad.
Feeling the warning signs pop on its mind non-stop, the furry ball hurriedly explained.
" Host, it's not like that. Originally, these people have tragic endings. Their miserable fates were one way or another affected by the Heavenly being. They were given a choice whether to rebirth with their previous memory and the same body or be reincarnated to a completely new life. They have chosen reincarnation. Even so, their grievances are too heavy rendering them to wait indefinitely. When you take on their body, you continue their lives. Then if you managed to out-live beyond their original deaths or fulfill their lifelong regrets, their grievances should lighten. Hence, letting them enter the cycle."
It scanned the host that sat crossed-legs, fiddling her nails. Halfsie wished the host won't flip out and start being atrocious again.
" Why won't they choose rebirth? They are already aware of how fate will unfold. They can fight back."
She said casually. They already have the upper hand of knowing what will happen in the future so why choose not to? They would rather forgo such chance and bet uncertainties in their next life. They might be reincarnated as grass, flower, or an animal, so why let go of their option of being a human again? On top of that, the person who made them miserable still lives there. So, why not go back and take revenge? If it were her, she'd go back by all means and confront that person once and for all.
" Because no matter what, they will never win against the Heavenly being." The furball stated what it concluded based on the facts stored in its database.
" Never win. Why?" She unknowingly rested her hands on her lap, sat straight, and focused all her attention on what the system will say.
" The targets are the darlings of the Heaven, host. That meant that whatever they do, fate will make its way to help them conquer life. Whatever they desire, be it success, love, or wealth, they will have. They are destined to live the best of the best."
The furball didn't notice the peculiar actions of its host. She sat there with her head down, hiding the growing turmoil in her eyes.
[Whatever they desire, be it success, love, or wealth, they will have?] She sneered. Her usually bright eyes seemed to be covered in frost.
[ Destined to live the best of the best?]
All of a sudden, memories of her previous life played back in her mind. She stood in a distance watching everything unfold in front of her. From being swapped when they were born to the day her sister caught her before crossing that damned road. She can vividly recall the moment where she tried to free from her grip but ended up being pushed to the middle of the road. Even the astonished look in her eyes and consequent excitement when the traffic light turned green.
[Sister, it seems you're a Heavenly being?] She smiled drearily.
Unexpectedly, Halfie's voice rang again.
" As a matter of fact, spoiling the Heavenly being's virtue will cause them to be stripped off their noble status. Then they will continue to live as ordinary beings. "
The tight fist she unconsciously held was immediately unclenched. She raised her head and displayed a pair of sparkling eyes and a bewitching smile.
[My dearest sister, you better pray we won't ever meet again.]
[Because if we do, that destiny that favors you so much, I'll steal it for myself.]