Jiang's words echoed in the empty expanse, his frustration boiling over. He clenched his fists, feeling the absurdity of it all—the tests, the system, his apparent death. Yet, here he was, floating in some strange prison, face-to-face with a god-like being who claimed he was "special." How could that even matter when he was dead?
The figure chuckled, its translucent form shimmering in the pale light. "Dead? Not quite," it said, taking a slow step forward. "You should count yourself lucky. Most people who fail don't end up here—this is a far more interesting fate."
Jiang glared at the figure, trying to piece together what was happening. "Interesting fate? This is your prison, isn't it? What does that have to do with me?"
The figure's grin widened. "Ah, yes. The wheels of fate must turn heavily in your favor for you to find yourself in my domain." It leaned in closer, lowering its voice to a near whisper. "I can bring you back to life… but only if you agree to help me."
Jiang tensed, eyeing the figure warily. "Help you? You mean become your pawn?"
The figure straightened up, his grin fading as he turned his back to Jiang, his tone softening. "Pawn… partner… a matter of perspective, really. You're in my prison, after all. I'm bound here by forces beyond my control, but you… you still have a chance. The question is whether you want to take it."
Jiang's mind raced as he tried to grasp the situation. "So, what are you? Some kind of evil creature?"
The figure sighed, its shadowy form flickering slightly as it walked farther from Jiang. "Evil? No. I am someone who sought power, yes, but not for selfish reasons. I wanted to change the world, to end the cycle of suffering and pain. And for that… I was imprisoned here."
Jiang frowned, narrowing his eyes. "Change the world? How?"
The figure glanced back, its hollow eyes gleaming. "By removing the source of the world's greatest suffering—magic. I thought if I could strip it away, there would be peace." He paused, his voice heavy with regret. "But as you can see… I failed."
Jiang scoffed, crossing his arms. "You think taking away magic was the answer? We still kill each other. Without magic, we just found other ways."
The figure's shoulders slumped, the faint glow in his eyes dimming as he walked a few paces ahead. "Yes." His voice was quieter now, almost hollow. "I thought by removing the main source of power, it would help… but I was wrong. Instead of magic, humans turned to technology, to weapons. The suffering continued, and I was taken down before I could fix my mistake."
Jiang tilted his head, eyes narrowing. "Taken down? By who?"
"The Supreme Being," the figure replied, the bitterness in his voice unmistakable. "He couldn't kill me—no, that would have been too merciful. Instead, he locked me away here, in this prison. And now, instead of destroying Earth, he's using it as his personal experiment."
Jiang blinked, confused. "Experiment? What does that have to do with the system? The voice that keeps giving me instructions?"
The figure turned back to face Jiang, a grim smile playing on his lips. "The system? I don't fully know its origins or why it exists. I once had a system of my own… until I failed an important mission. After that, it vanished—just like my freedom."
Jiang frowned, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. "So, you don't know why the system exists, but it's been messing with people? Is it just a way to get people killed?"
The figure let out a dry chuckle, the sound bitter and empty. "It certainly seems that way, doesn't it? Most who encounter the system fail—killed by impossible missions or lost when the system abandons them after one mistake. It's as if it was designed to give people a glimpse of hope, only to take it away."
Jiang's frustration boiled over. "So, why me? Why turn me into a penguin of all things? What was the point of that?"
The figure's shadowy face twisted into something that almost resembled a smile. "Ah, now that part was particularly amusing," he said with a laugh. "Of all things, a penguin… and yet, here you are. The system seems to favor mastering your spiritual core first before unlocking the true potential of your body. And the final form… well, that's something quite special."
"Special?" Jiang raised an eyebrow. "You mean, like… transforming into something else?"
The figure shrugged casually, the hint of a smirk on his lips. "Oh, sure. Maybe something grand. Maybe something ridiculous. Who's to say?" He waved a hand dismissively, as if the details were beneath him. "The system's final form? They say it reveals a being that gives out love as easily as the sun gives light. Or, you know, something poetic like that." He paused, tilting his head thoughtfully. "But in your case? Well, let's just say you've got a few feathers to pluck before we get there."
Jiang's frown deepened. "So, it turned me into a penguin to teach me… what, exactly?"
The figure grinned, leaning closer as if sharing a secret. "Ah, that's the fun part. I couldn't tell you for sure, but I bet it's all about spiritual core nonsense. You know how systems are—they like to test resilience in… creative ways." His eyes twinkled with mischief. "Why not something as delightfully ironic as a penguin?"
Jiang crossed his arms, still suspicious. "You sound like you're guessing."
The figure chuckled, backing away with a playful twirl. "Aren't we all? But don't let that bother you. Whether I'm right or not doesn't change the fact that you're waddling your way toward something greater, right?"
Jiang stared, his brow furrowing. "Wait… so how did she even activate the system for me? Wasn't I just some random guy before all of this? How did she trigger it?"
The figure paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, as if savoring the question. "Ah, that's the beauty of it, isn't it? Your world, without magic, should've been completely disconnected from these things. No system, no powers. But somehow, her world's desperation and that little time crystal she carried connected with you. The moment she touched you, something clicked." He shrugged casually. "Maybe fate, maybe chance. She set it off—activated your system. And once that ball starts rolling... well, you know the rest."
Jiang felt a chill run down his spine, absorbing the weight of the figure's words. "So she started all of this... without even knowing what would happen?"
The figure gave a nonchalant wave. "Seems that way. But in the grand scheme of things, who's to say what's planned and what's just chaos, hmm?" He turned away, that mischievous grin never leaving his face. "You're certainly not the first to stumble into something bigger than yourself."