Hunter and Nina were busy talking about the stories about the myriad forces of the multiverse when his screen flashed, delivering the third product out of the thirteen.
With every flash of the holographic window, Hunter felt both nervous and excited. Nervous about what these forces would represent when it came to his survival amongst an unknown number of assailants all aiming for his life and the extinction of his species to save his own, and excited because he was simply swayed by his assistant's vibrant tales and glamorous anecdotes, which made him anticipate interacting with these legendary collectives. Nina's incessant chattering, even if considered the most outlandish of exaggerations, had at the very least provided him with a keyhole into what sort of capabilities these forces held.
It would be a blatant falsehood to claim that a seed of self-doubt hadn't sprouted in Hunter's conciousness, which was completely understandable given the ambigiousness of the situation and the lack of knowledge about his circumstances. A bit of insecurity was inevitable considering he would have to lead and command forces immortalized in the long annals of the multiverse's history, he would be responsible for trillion or even more. However, the mere fact that he had the opportunity to witness such valiant individuals in action sent butterflies through Hunter's stomach.
[Candidate {Hunter Tamaniel} has been granted {One Starworm Horde} ]
[Description: The Starworms were a cosmic nightmare, a testament to the boundless and terrifying possibilities of the multiverse. A Starworm is birthed during the inception of their respective universes, expelled out with gases, dust, and other particles. Initially the size of a mere garden snake, the monstrosity feeds on the remnants of blazing gas clouds and cosmic dust, growing with the rapid expansion of space and solidification of time, and bears witness to the first budding galaxies, glimmering stars, and destructive black holes, eventually turning into a predator of those very stellar entities.
Starworms' immense forms illuminate the void around them with the fiery remnants of consumed stars and the ethereal glow of stolen stellar energy. If provoked, a single Starworm can extinguish galaxies, rendering even the most advanced civilizations powerless against their wrath. These solitary destroyers band together only when the fabric of the multiverse itself teeters on annihilation, uniting their devastating power to combat threats of unspeakable magnitude. A horde of Starworms contains one hundred million and represents a force so overwhelming that entire universes are left barren in their wake.]
"Oh my god, a star-eating worm..." Hunter subtly retched, just the sheer thought of an insect the size of a star system gobbling up celestial bodies for breakfast gave him a certain itch on the back of his neck. "I have to deal with a hundred million of them?"
Hunter groaned and leaned back, his arms preventing his back from touching the floor. Hunter was seated with Nina on his lap, and as the screen flashed with the information about his third army, she punched his muscular thighs in excitement.
Nina was evidently a big fan of these armies, for the only time she stopped chatting away was when his holographic window was triggered. Other than that Nina was a blabbermouth, unable to stop. As soon as Hunter displayed a sense of aversion to these entities that had been described as a garden snake and a monstrosity by the very system supposedly designed by Nina's Mother, Nina went red in anger and pinched his thighs in protest.
"NO~! It's not what Hunter thinks~! These creatures are gorgeous~!" Nina placed her back against Hunter's stomach and looked up at him, displaying her sharp nails to him with a threatening smile. "Big Sister once showed them to Nina, and while they sure are terrifying up close, from far enough away they are breaktaking~"
Nina's eyes twinkled as she recalled the scene that blew her away, opening her eyes to beauty in chaos and destruction.
"Nina can't believe that Hunter has received a horde of these magnificent creatures~ And it's only the third one-" Nina's eyes toward him were once again filled with a grim and deep fascination that felt too heavy. "Now Nina understands why these armies were never up for contention through perks~"
"Speaking of contention..." Hunter steered away from the conversation, for every time the discussion turned towards Hunter's talent or his potential, Nina became strange. "How do the civilizations deal with the Starworms?"
The description stated that a Starworm only attacks when provoked, but what if a civilization stood in the way of its sustenance?
Nina placed her nails on her chin, scratching her pale smooth cheeks as she contemplated.
"They don't~ An average-sized universe contains over a hundred septillion stars, and it takes a Starworm centuries to digest one, so..."
Nina utilized gestures and actions to explain the situation to Hunter, and it seemed as if the specific information fell in a grey zone for Nina if it were truly forbidden, then Nina wouldn't even give a head nod.
Hunter nodded and confirmed his conjectures a couple of times, finally drawing up a whole scenario.
"So in essence, they just redirect it using their food itself?"
"Mhm~ Empty galaxies~ By the time a Starworm is done with the galaxy, most civilizations wither away."
Hunter tucked his chin and gazed down at Nina. A sudden question occurred to him.
"Wait, does my universe have a Starworm?"
"Hehe~ Nina can't tell you that~"
Nina chuckled mischievously, drawing out a frustrated groan from Hunter. He continued to attempt to extract more answers from Nina, but she skirted around all of them that didn't pertain to anything that had transpired in the 16 hours they had spent in the whiteness.
"Okay, fine, you can't tell me how a universe is born, but you can s—"
Hunter was interrupted during one of his questions as the text announcing his next army appeared on his screen. Nina jumped in his lap and hugged his arm, scratching his forearm in anticipation.
[Candidate {Hunter Tamaniel} has been granted {Colossarchs Phalanx} ]
[Description: Colossarchs, creatures renowned throughout the multiverse for their physical might and ginormous stature, were one of the most coveted soldiers on every battlefield. Their inclination for conflict, bloodthirsty nature, and the sheer terror their mere presence evoked in the enemy camp carved their name into the very bones of the cosmos and allowed them to rise on the hierarchy despite being a nomad species. Their days were marked by the clash of steel, the roar of war cries, and the intoxicating haze of victory born from violence and revelry.
During the Great War of 4000 Species, a war that saw quintillions of combatants clash across dimensions and galaxies and the destruction of an unimaginable quantity of resources, the Colossarchs' phalanx stood as a pivotal force in the tides of battle. They were outnumbered countless times over, for their forces were a mere 500 billion strong, a number so insignificant that there were more chefs than the Colossarchs on the battlefield, and yet they single-handedly altered the course of the war. In the end, while the galaxies wept for the lives lost, the Colossarchs were the ones who were feared, for their strength was unrivaled, and their legend immortalized.]
"Huh? Is it just me or do the descriptions keep getting short?"
Hunter had turned numb to the vivid descriptions of the armies and not much could break his composure now even without his forged talent, for Nina had spent hours narrating stories that put these small paragraphs to shame. Nina, if nothing else, was a great storyteller and an empathetic creature who understood her candidate's reservations and dilemmas and made them her own. It was because of her that he had transformed from anxious and gloomy to expectant and excited. Nina had explained to him that it didn't matter what armies he received and whatever they had achieved, these were going to be his troops after all.
"Big Sister told Nina that since these armies were never supposed to be granted as perks, they don't have a well-prepared description, so they are going to keep getting more vague~" Nina kicked her legs, periodically hitting Hunter's shin in amusement. "From what Nina knows, armies under
"Are we sure we're getting a perk?" Hunter immediately replied and chuckled. "Is it true though? 500 billion against quintillions? That sounds like a glorious battle."
Hunter smiled and used his thumb and index finger to massage Nina's shoulders, causing her face to melt under comfort and for her to slip further into Hunter's lap.
"Ehehe~ It's even worse than Hunter thinks~ When Nina was small she heard stories about this~" Nina's eyes were distant and her smile was warm as if reveling in a particularly comforting memory. "In this particular war, the Colossarchs had fought for over a millennium, during which they had accumulated so much bloodthirst and carried such an intense aura of violence that they destroyed legions of trillions with their presence alone~ Now, imagine that, oh Nina forgot that Hunter can't~"
Hunter's lips twitched as he watched Nina cross her arms with a smug smile. Hunter retrieved his fingers from Nina's shoulders and pinched her long ears, earning a lecture and beating from the one-foot princess. The two argued back and forth and bantered like children until the next notification interrupted their fun.
"Fifth one, eh~?"
Hunter whistled, both of their attention stolen by the flashing holographic screen floating in Hunter's vision.
[Candidate {Hunter Tamaniel} has been granted {Khla'sa'rai Wraith Contingent} ]
[Description: A mysterious entity that epitomized dread and power with a membership of only 108 enigmatic operatives known as Wraiths. Even though their members were laughably miniscule, their influence spanned countless universes. It was an elite force capable of contending with the strongest across the multiverse, but not just in terms of might, which they definitely did. Their expertise in intelligence, espionage, reconnaissance, subterfuge, and assassination turned battles before swords were drawn. Entire wars were won with a whisper in the right ear or a dagger in the right heart.
But it wasn't just their cunning that set them apart. Each member was a force unto themselves: warriors of unparalleled might, wielders of abilities that could unravel galaxies, and minds sharper than any blade. The Khla'sa'rai Wraith Contingent was not just a military unit—they were a myth, and the last thing anyone ever wanted to see emerging from the darkness.]
"One-hundred-eight!?"
This time around, Hunter's shock stemmed from a completely different place.
The duo had been talking in terms of quadrillions and quintillions constantly, and Hunter had personally amassed a force of over 1.8 trillion over the five armies that he had been bestowed with by this point in time. As such, it was understandable that his perception was skewed a little, and was freaked out by the low number.
Hunter had been informed that the armies would subsequently increase in strength. As such, he didn't question the sudden dip in the numbers from trillions to a hundred million with the Starworm horde, for Nina had assured him that it was indeed an increase in quality, but he found it hard to comprehend that 108 individuals could take on the 500 billion Colossarchs.
Hunter looked down to inquire with Nina. She had her jaw hanging down in shock and her pupils were dilated in disbelief.
"Wraits..." Nina subtly muttered, her hand on Hunter's thigh clenching strongly, nearly drawing blood because of her sharp nails. "Nina always thought they were merely a myth..."
Nina took her time to process her emotions and eventually gulped loudly, starting Hunter who was undergoing his own little journey.
"Nina can't believe it..." Nina looked up at him in incredulity. "Hunter, this is a force that's a bedtime story to Nina and Nina's supervisors, and it is our duty and responsibility to know and understand the multiverse and its history..."
"So... It's good, right? Considering they seem to be a stealth unit?"
Hunter had received his answer prior to even asking the question, so he let it go and continued to indulge in Nina's talk to help her calm down. She kept going on about how she was going to win something called the assistant crown but Hunter didn't pry too much into that particular topic.