"So, if you're not allowed to sponsor someone," I started, "then why are you sponsoring me?"
There was a moment of silence, not too long to be awkward, but long enough to make it seem that even the voice was struggling to find the right words to answer.
The others have made it necessary.
"Others?" I asked out loud, "You mean the others like you, who are sponsoring humans?"
I am finding it difficult to find the right language to convey exactly what you need to know.
"You seem to be able to read my mind somewhat, try using more tabletop RPG language to describe the situation," I offered my wisdom.
Other Beings that are 'sponsoring' Players in your realm are not playing as they should, the voice started to explain. The scenes playing in front of me started to show me at my fattest, and I realised that the rewinding was almost over. There wasn't much time left.
They are actively…meta-gaming, to put it in your terms, to try and topple my position as Game Master. As I am supposed to be unbiased and indifferent to the whole game, I had to secretly 'sponsor' an unknown, inconsequential Player, who would be able to infiltrate and ultimately hinder whatever the other Beings have planned for the game, and for your realm of reality.
"Oh god," I mumbled under my breath, "it can't ever be nice and easy and simple, can it?"
I do not understand.
"How am I supposed to be able to," I paused as I struggled to wrap my head around what the voice had just said, "infiltrate and hinder whatever your higher-being entities have planned? All I have is, I guess, an inconsequential, useless ability."
Before the voice could rebut, I continued, "I mean, seriously. The ratio of the requirements to use the damn ability to what I gain from it is pretty shit, if I may say so myself."
The Prestige Ability had to limited in such a way to prevent the Others from being able to notice the existence of my interference.
"I'm not sure what you're expecting from me, but how can I do anything with such limitations on even the activation of the ability?" I questioned the voice, my annoyance started to rise as it felt like the voice was simply attempting to justify the existence of such a bad ability—
It is not that it is a bad ability, it is just difficult to utilise it in an optimal way.
I chuckled as the voice started to sound more and more desperate the more he tried to defend the ability he sponsored me.
"Well, what do you expect out of me with such a limited ability? I don't believe I can do much more than what I've been doing over the last, what, seven months? What else can I do with the limitations that you've placed—"
Forced to place.
"—Forced to place on the Prestige Ability?" I asked with exasperation.
I have to admit, you have a point.
"And, let's be honest, how am I, the only Player in the world with E rankings in my Attributes, supposed to get strong enough to be able to prevent whatever plans your peers may have for my world?"
You don't have to encounter the Others directly. Simply preventing their 'beneficiaries' from being able to follow through on their 'sponsor's plan is enough to prevent certain doom and destruction from befalling your reality.
I shook my head, though it felt weird since I couldn't see my own body in this vast nothingness with only footage of my previous life being reversed relatively in front of me.
"You're saying a lot of big words, and dropping a lot of responsibility down on me, and I still have doubts I can do anything about any of it with the stupid Prestige Ability," I mumbled, "You have to help me out somehow."
In what way?
"I don't know man!" I sighed heavily, "something to help me activate the prestige ability might be nice! Oh, what happens if I do end up getting pretty strong, and other people like in other guilds try to see what my base ability is. Every other Player has a base ability that they're known for, what are they gonna see when they see mine? They can't see that I can go back in time rogue-lite style with my Prestige Ability, can they? Otherwise their sponsors who might be the bad Others might find out!"
You are right. There are those in your realm with an Insight ability…
"Exactly, so maybe having a," I paused mid-sentence again as I struggled to find the words, "a cover Ability might do me a whole lotta good. Something to throw those…Insight ability Players off, you know?"
I see…
"Oh! And how about something that would give me a bonus during a Prestige so then it doesn't take so long for me to max out my natural attribute capabilities at the very least, if you're not willing to let me activate the ability easier!"
Very well, the voice suddenly announced all finalised and serious sounding, As time is quickly running out for the two of us to communicate in this manner, I have decided to bestow upon you two more aspects of skills to help you in utilising the Prestige Ability more efficiently.
"Alright!" I exclaimed, "I'm glad you listened to some of my suggestions.
Unfortunately, I cannot modify the activation requirements for the Prestige Ability like you suggested.
Well, that's a bummer, I thought to myself.
The limitations present in the activation requirements are there to ensure that none of the Others will notice a new timeline with new parameters being created every time you experience death.
As we are beings that exist out of your understanding and observance of time, we are able to see all possible timelines at all times after every variable choice your species makes in your realm. Therefore, it is easier to shift their focus from the timeline of your previous Prestige life, to your current, next Prestige life by ensuring that your death seem to be as inconsequential as every other human dying at the same time.
"That's a dark thought to think about," I mumbled, but the Game Master's explanation on how the Prestige life works from an outside perspective seemed to make sense oddly.
Instead, I have created a hidden skill to work in tandem with your Prestige Ability. Behold.
The voice boomed and a familiar System Window popped up in front of my vision, slightly blocking my vision from the reversing footage of my life.
[You have received the {hidden} skill: Prestige Modifier!
Prestige Modifier (Unranked): Every time the Player activates the Prestige Ability, a random modifier from a select pool is activated for the Player's next Prestige run. These modifiers may be buffs or debuffs that gives more variance to the Player's run, and therefore will give the Player a bonus to their stats, defending on which modifier was chosen. The skill can be levelled up to allow for a bigger pool of modifiers.]
I stared at the Window in deep thought. It sounded like the Game Master was definitely doubling down on making my life a rogue-lite. The fact that the Window mentioned "buffs or debuffs" scared me a little, but when I think about how both times I've lived my life had had some sort of mixture of debuffs, I felt more confident that I was able to face whatever may come my way. Though hopefully levelling the skill up will take some time as the bigger the pool of modifiers, the more chances that a debuff is picked, knowing my luck.
And I have taken note of your suggestion of a "cover" ability should you be searched by an Insight ability Player.
Another Window popped up in front of me, replacing the previous one.
[You have received a new skill: Skill Creator!
Skill Creator (S+ Ranked): Player is able to turn any and possibly every real life action into a System Skill and improve that Skill through the System's Level functionality.
Hidden functionality available: Improve the level of the Skill Creator ability by creating skills and levelling them up to Max Level to uncover the Hidden Functionality of the Skill Creator Ability.]
"Oh, so it's like my Critical Eye skill, but better?" I questioned out loud.
Exactly, the voice answered quickly. It sounded like there was confidence and pride behind the answer, This ability can synergise with the Critical Eye skill to allow you to max-level a specific skill in a single moment, though the chances to activate the Critical Eye skill is still quite low. This ability would explain any quick 'power ups' you may have without revealing yourself to the Others too early.
"Oh nice!" I said excitedly as the Window disappeared. In front of me, a familiar sight of me standing outside of Hero's Stand headquarters building — the starting point of my Prestige lives — came back into my main focus.
We have run out of time, the voice explained, I doubt we'll be able to communicate like this anytime soon.
"Before I go, can I ask something?" I said. The voice didn't answer, so I took the chance to ask my question anyway.
"Why did the Parasite Hunter appear in the Falcon Plains Dungeon and hunted me down?"
The sponsor of the Player you belittled was unhappy with your interaction and their beneficiary. They utilised their probability to modify the parameters of the timeline events to ensure your death.
Even though I knew it was impossible in the current space I found myself in, I shivered as though a cold sweat ran down my back.
"I stepped out of line slightly and they decided to kill me for it?" I asked quietly.
That is why it is imperative that the Others do not see you as a threat. For if that were to happen, and you had not yet fulfilled the activation requirements of the Prestige Ability, that will be the end of everything. I would not be able to sponsor another Player, and your reality as you and those that you love know it will ultimately end at the hands of the Others.
I chuckled awkwardly, "No pressure, I guess."