Bruce delved into the intricacies of siphoning life essence from rankers.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips. His voice carried a tinge of weariness as he continued,
"As for why not subject rankers to the same treatment. Well… the reason is simple. There's a significant issue with siphoning life essence from Rankers, Eren." Shaking his head in denial, he let his shoulders slump and took a deep breath before forging ahead.
"When individuals ascend to being a ranker from their mortal status, their life essence becomes entwined with their unique mana signature, rendering it unsuitable for such purposes. Therefore, we can only draw upon the life essence of mortals, which is pure and non-conflict in nature. This is why governments still care about their mortal population and Bourgys from Wastelands, even if in a broken way."
The weight of these limitations settled upon Eren, leaving him momentarily speechless. He suddenly felt a twinge of discomfort in referring to the people he had grown up with as Bourgys, now that he found himself on the opposite side of the fence.
'Such is life,' Eren mused to himself, contemplating the disparities he had come to understand. He glanced at Bruce, realizing that there was still one aspect left unaddressed. Bruce's smile offered reassurance as he prepared to answer Eren's final inquiry.
"Don't misconstrue the authorities' treatment of talents born outside Elysian cities," Bruce explained, his tone measured. "An Elysian city serves as a centralized hub, gathering rankers from various origins. It's not an exclusive club reserved solely for those born within its borders. Remarkable rankers from mortal origins frequently find their way into Elysian cities, never returning to their humble beginnings."
Bruce paused for a moment, acknowledging that individuals born in Elysian cities indeed possessed an advantage, albeit a shared starting line for all who broke into official rank and entered an Elysian city.
"The city-states' establishments and major corporations cannot afford to overlook the opportunity to secure elite rankers from the mortal population. Failure to do so would leave them vulnerable to rivals who might claim these exceptional individuals."
He continued, his voice betraying the essence of pragmatism. "Creating a substantial number of soldiers has become a pressing need, driven by pure business motives. And do you know how they accomplish it? By constantly monitoring mortals' conditions through the MCP chip."
Bruce's words painted a picture of a meticulous system designed to identify mortals with exceptional potential as rankers. Sometimes, individuals displaying extraordinary aptitude were approached only when they reached the Meta stage. In other cases, the MCP chip detected subtle supernatural changes within mortals, even before any visible signs of their ascendance to the first rank.
"Establishments and organizations will always seek out talented rankers, regardless of their origins. That's the reality for official rankers as the game of life grows increasingly complex," Bruce emphasized.
Standing up and taking a few steps forward, Bruce gently patted Eren's shoulder, his gesture conveying both mentorship and camaraderie. "Hehe, Numbered Oases are only the beginning, young man. What's the fun in experiencing something that others before you have already witnessed? The real thrill begins when a ranker becomes Awakened— that's the minimum requirement for traveling through the warp gates."
Eren mirrored Bruce's deep breath, his mind brimming with newfound understanding. Nearly all of his lingering questions about MCP chips and life essence had been answered. To resolve the remaining uncertainties, he would need to venture into a Numbered Oasis and explore the utilization of life essence firsthand.
Rising from his seat, Eren positioned himself in front of Bruce, a sense of determination radiating from his gaze. "Why did you reveal all this to me?" he inquired, seeking clarity. Bruce's nonchalant shrug preceded his reply.
"Because my creator tasked me with detecting anomalies. Though I'm not entirely sure what he meant by that, your awareness of both sides of humanity's current state makes you an anomaly in my eyes."
Bruce's question followed, regarding Eren's decision not to initiate the script immediately upon meeting him, highlighting the standby script on his spectral screen. Eren's smile carried a touch of bitterness as he responded.
"I realized that hastily absorbing your memories would only lead to pain and misery without offering any real gain. As inexperienced as I am with these backdoor scripts, I'm not foolish enough to rely solely on them and disregard my instincts."
Bruce nodded, acknowledging Eren's choice, and extended his hand for a handshake. Eren accepted the gesture without hesitation, his grip firm and resolute. Bruce proceeded to explain that Eren had been chosen as the successor of his memories, a responsibility entrusted to him by his creator.
"There is no demand for reciprocation from my creator," Bruce assured Eren. "He only has one message for you. Listen carefully."
As Bruce's appearance distorted, his facial features turning pixelated, a voice emerged, distinct from Bruce's own. Eren observed intently as the creator of the Easter eggs addressed him, expressing delight in Eren's presence and revealing the purpose behind the selected and compiled memories.
"Yo. So someone came to claim these Easter Eggs after all. Haha. What a relief. These memories were created by me long ago, at the inception of Oasis. I was quite the troublemaker back then, and I hope I still am, haha," the pixelated voice chuckled. "I anticipated that someone like you, a non-ranked individual, could forge a unique path using these memories as a foundation. I don't know if I'm right, but I'm glad you're here so that I can find out. As a compensation for giving you this gift, I only want you to walk the ranker's path with unwavering grit. Don't be afraid to spill blood- whether yours or your enemies'. Hmm? Yeah. That's about it."
The creator continued, emphasizing the breadcrumbs he had left for Eren to follow, envisioning an unprecedented rise as a ranker. He urged Eren to navigate the challenges ahead, embracing unwavering determination and being willing to shed blood, whether his own or his enemies'.
"Prepare yourself to log out of Oasis, my inheritor," the creator concluded. "Brace for what comes next."
After that, Eren watched as Bruce's whole body started pixelating and breaking apart. These pixels started disappearing into Eren's body through the hand he had extended to Bruce.
Eren, overwhelmed by the sudden influx of memories, swiftly activated the logout option. He found himself back in his room, the weight of the memories he had absorbed pressing upon him. Gripping his head with both hands, he fought against the surge of information, preparing for another arduous night of grappling with his newfound knowledge.