[Fascinating.]
"Right? This body has balls the size of-"
[I apologize for the interruption, but I was referring to 'The Vow of Interstellar Supremacy.']
"Oh yes, that too."
The time displayed on Aldred's terminal approached three in the morning, a time when the majority of the population would be lost amid the grandness projected by their subconscious discontent with their circumstances, or be lost in weird wacky worlds of wonder that truly display the ingenuity of the human imagination.
Triton had spent the past hour and some change briefing the system about his circumstances and the actuality of the information it couldn't glean from his memories. And the fact that the system was attached to a host who had transmigrated into a book he had read in his old world had somehow struck the system as something...
[Truly fascinating.]
The system wasn't deterred by the transmigration at all, for according to it, resurrections and transmigrations were rather common in this reality, so when it scoured through Triton's recollections, the system had just assumed that he was just another good ol' transmigrator whose consciousness had wandered into this reality and inhabited a compatible body. Still, learning of the truth seemed to have really rattled the system, for it had been...
[So my existence, and that of this entire universe is a mere figment of a creature's imagination? Fascinating...]
"Hey buddy, just checking in, but you don't have an existential crisis, right?"
[Oh, no, no, Triton. That is not the case at all. I get the implications of your revelation, but this universe is real, it exists. And from what you've told me, this 'story' incorporates a minuscule portion of this reality into its narrative.]
The system's voice caressed Triton's consciousness and made him twitch in comfort, but the information itself made Triton frown.
"So? Is this a separate reality? A multiverse scenario? What are we thinking here?"
Triton's inquisitive voice sounded in the expansive room. Although Triton couldn't wait for the sweet embrace of slumber to envelop him, this conversation was something that he needed to have to put his mind at ease.
[Certainly, it could be any of them.]
"But how could a human create reality through a fiction story? I mean, not to brag, but back in the day I had dabbled in the art of storywriting myself, and I was pretty good at it if you ask me."
[Triton.]
"Alright, fine, they were horrible. Anyway, that would mean that there are millions of realities, if we go by the numbers, right? Or is there something about this particular author who wrote this story?"
Triton sat up on the bed, a poor pillow clenched in his rugged hands.
[I believe it to be the latter. Triton, do you recall the author's identity?]
The system's voice was inquisitive, as if in the process of solving a riddle. Triton couldn't exactly distinguish too many emotions from the overtly monotonous voice, but he had gotten used to Aelric's system's antics enough to be aware of the intricacies of the system's state of being.
"Oh, yeah, his name was SlimyMacaroni."
[Yes, you have mentioned that name over a hundred times, with unwavering reverence too, but I was hoping to know his real name. I just tried to go through your memories again and they are still fragmented.]
"Ah, yes, of course, his real name was..." Triton's face transformed into a frown, his eyebrows scrunching against his eyes. "I have no idea."
[So...You worshipped a—]
"Yes, yes, I worshipped a guy for half my life without knowing his real name." Triton held his head in his hands and scratched his hair in frustration. "Fuck me. How did I not think of that? The author himself... or themselves were never at a convention, it was always a staff member manning the booths, same for the show, and same for the game. No socials, no podcasts, no nothing, how could I not have thought of that!?"
Triton threw another pillow across the room, this time the pillow crashed against a couch and bounced for a bit before settling on the carpet.
[Triton, you are not having an existential crisis, are you?]
This time Triton could tell that the system's voice carried a subtle sassiness, and it made him scrunch his eyebrows in annoyance.
"Oh, stuff it." Triton seemed to have run out of energy, he bounced on the bed a couple of times and laid down again, his arms and legs completely open, as if he was ready to make a snow angel. "Sigh~ With all that's happened today, I have learned to just let it go and look to the future."
[A sound strategy. Considering the lifespan of humans and your absurd talents, if nothing untoward occurs because of your unknown identity, you should be able to live for a couple hundred thousand years.]
"Yeah, but that is entirely out of my control, so I will not be stressing over it." Triton raised his arms and stretched, groaning in comfort. "Also, what were you saying? I think you mentioned something about a comrade? I apologize I was too caught up in explaining the lore to you."
[Oh, yes. I was referring to this Aelric Drakonis' companion, a 'sentient system' as you refer to it. To think I would find an existence similar to mine.]
During their conversation, the system had explained to Triton that it had, in all of its long existence, never encountered a similar entity. The knowledge that someone who would be joining the same class as its host bearing its comrade had excited the system so much it made a grammatical error.
"Yeah, you wouldn't wanna meet, it's a very aggressive system. You two lie on completely opposite sides of the spectrum. During a fight when Aelric was losing, she brought up his suicide and mocked him for it to make him fight back, it was horrifying."
Triton felt a chill pass his spine as he recalled the various instances where the system helping Aelric had done things that had terrified not just Aelric but the readers as well. The system was helpful, sure, but it was a dominatrix with a particular sadistic side that displayed itself on multiple occasions and sometimes ran Aelric straight toward death.
[Oh my. You made them sound so beneficial and encouraging.]
"It was, it was, but everybody has some moments, you know? Including systems. Speaking of which, what are you? I know we're friends now, but Aelric's system immediately recalibrated his information window and provided quests and stuff with accompanying rewards, so, you know...?"
Triton was teetering on the edge of a rope for he didn't wish to upset his new and only friend in this reality that would call him by his name, ever.
[Oh, yes, of course. I was created by a certain existence three trillion years ago to assist transmigrators, reincarnators, and the like, and since then have been of aid to several hosts, hailing from multiple species and various realities. I have wandered this universe for a long time, and that is how I know that this universe isn't just a sham created by a human a dozen years ago.]
"Oh, still vexed about that, I see." Triton whistled as he could sense that the system had taken the news of this reality being part of a human's creation rather harshly.
[Now, allow me to elaborate on our proceedings from henceforth and inform you of what I can do to support us in our journey going forward.]
"Sounds amazing, let's start."
x—X—x
Solaris Empire was an expansive nation, with about eight trillion people inhabiting its monumental land. While the empire wasn't foremost in terms of population or land area, it was definitely at the top regarding military strength, research capabilities, and educational institutions.
It was an achievement and a half considering the devastatingly dark seven thousand years under the Zephyrius rule, where the non-awakeners of the country were oppressed under the ridiculous taxes and policies, and the population dynamic had gone haywire with diminishing childbirth, for the subjects didn't wish for their children to come into a world full of helplessness and despair.
The Valthors had done much in terms of improving the lives of commoners and encouraging the awakeners even further in ways nobody had considered would be possible in such a backward star system. One of these empowering schemes carried out by the Valthor administration was the establishment of numerous advanced public training facilities throughout the land for the awakeners to train and improve. These facilities required immense resources but were funded by the government and various investors, and thus saw a relatively affordable entry cost for the awakeners.
One of these resource-intensive facilities was located outskirts of Lindel City, a major metropolitan city with a history spanning over twenty thousand years. This city was famous for producing some of the strongest awakeners in the Empire, for it was a hub for the enlightened with various facilities specifically targeted toward the superhuman population.
The restaurants served food filled with aether energy to fuel the awakeners, even the simplest stores sold wares made for the extraordinary, the hotels were constructed with an energy gathering formation engraved under their building to assist in cultivation, the powerful and wealthy poached prospective employees from the enlightened residing in the city, and the grandest awakener embassy in the entirety of Laquis Dukedom was located in this city as well.
This particular facility was located just outside the main city and was named 'The Timberland Experience,' an artificial sub-space that had been cultivated to be an enormous forest that stretched for thousands of kilometers, with five distinct zones representing five difficulty levels. This facility was specifically garnered towards Initiate and Conduit tier awakeners who had recently embarked on their journey and required early foundational training.
The realm was filled with specially gathered and bred creatures that would help trainees undergo a complete combat experience according to their skill level, and help their awakener rank and prowess grow under strict supervision without the need for life-threatening circumstances to stimulate growth. However, that was true for the first three difficulty levels exclusively, for the Expert and Hell zones were completely devoid of supervision and could lead to death. The facility asked for a larger fee and required the participants to sign a waiver that acquitted the facility from any blame if the awakeners ended up dead.
In one of the more isolated areas of the Expert zone under The Timberland Experience, a particularly violent scene unfolded in the comforting shade of huge ethereal trees.
Two figures, one giant and one minuscule, were engaged in ferocious combat. The sounds of blades and claws clashing could be heard from hundreds of meters away.
Pichook!
A hulking body of purple mass was pierced through by a glowing silver blade connected to a majestic golden spear, but relative to the sheer width of the creature, the hole seemed far from enough to bring it down.
"ROAR!"
The monstrosity raised its horned head and growled at the sky, its multiple orifices spewing copious amounts of unknown fluids, some of which burned the moss-covered ground as it landed.
"[Spearhead Detonation]"
Suddenly and without any warning, a burst of multicolored energy was released from the silver blade lodged within the creature's gut.
BOOM!
The sound of an explosion reverberated in the clearing, causing the surrounding trees of unimaginable length and width to wither and shake. Leaves and branches floated down and covered the soft ground, pitiful cries echoed in the clearing as distant figures could be seen fleeing in the wake of the extraordinary show of force, indicating that a number of predators had gathered around the clearing in search of prey.
The four-meter-tall purple creature, the apex predator of the surrounding terrain, now carried a huge hole about a foot and a half in diameter. A river of brownish-black blood flowed from the horrfying wound, staining the ground. The sight was abhorrent as the creature was trembling and screaming, suffering excruciatingly, with its vitality escaping its tattered body each second.
"ROAAAAAR~!"
The repulsive creature keeled over after a final mournful roar, succumbing to its wounds and finding demise in the pool of its own blood.
The spear was retracted, and at the end of its handle rested a rugged hand covered in small scratches and cuts.
The owner of this hand was a man about 185 centimeters tall exhibiting an impressively muscular yet compact physique fit for a combatant, a small waist with a defined abdomen, powerful bulging muscles that could be made out through the myriad layers on his body, and a gait that exuded a sense of power and authority.
The man flaunted enchantingly charming and dense golden hair tied behind him in a ponytail, ocean-blue eyes that told a story of hope amidst tribulations, a face so handsome as if sculpted from the finest jade by the hands of gods themselves, and a smile so brilliant it could light up the whole world.
[Eliminated a C-tier aethereal being, obtained 3400 experience points.]
[Quest: Eliminate fifty aethereal beings above E-tier. Progess: 49/50.]
[Extracting bloodline energies... Strength +7 Dexterity +5 Constitution +10.]
A string of notifications occupied the man's view, but he couldn't care less and excitedly waved them off.
"See, I told you we could do it!"
The figure's voice was sonorous and easy on the ears, carrying a gentle and good-natured note. No other human was around him, but he received a reply.
[Yes, Aelric, that was good. However, don't get overconfident, that was a close fight. A single lapse in judgment, and your life was forfeit.]
"Natalie, why do you always have to be a wet blanket!?"
[Wet blanket? I would love to be the wet blanket covering your corpse as it gets devoured by these creatures.]
"Oi now—"
The figure was Aelric Drakonis, the protagonist of 'The Vow of Interstellar Supremacy.'