Chapter 11: The Impact Of Simulators
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"Let me see… the Beast of Apocalypse, the Beast of Savior… So, my position in the church and among the people is that exaggerated?"
Lying casually on the sofa in the living room, Elric watched as his hands transformed at will.
One moment, they became a lion's claw; the next, they grew seven fingers, and moments later, they morphed into a limb encased in a hard shell. As long as he desired, he could completely alter his body to suit his imagination.
"This ability is quite convenient."
Since he was still a juvenile Beast of Apocalypse and Beast of Savior, many of his abilities were unavailable, but even so, the ones he could use were incredibly powerful.
Particularly the Sea of killing and Life and Death Transformation—they were essentially supercharged, invincible versions of the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.
It was a shame his magical energy was limited at the moment. If he could use his beast abilities continuously, even with all his attributes currently at C+, he could rival powerful opponents.
"In any case, this trip to Rome has made me a completely different person from who I was before."
Feeling the newfound power flowing through his body, Elric felt assured that he no longer needed to fear the supernatural entities of the real world.
After familiarizing himself with his abilities, he grabbed his phone and started researching the history of the Roman Empire.
"Sure enough… the simulator has changed history."
He vividly remembered the history of the Roman Empire from the real world. As he read about an emperor named Reinhard, Elric confirmed his theory—the simulator and the real world interacted. Everything he had done in the simulated world had rippled into reality, shaping the future.
"It seems like, for my next simulation, I need to consider its potential impact on the real world."
Scrolling through the legendary records of the Emperor of Eternal Night on his phone, Elric couldn't help but wonder about Nero—how she had lived after his departure.
Unfortunately, history offered little insight. Ten years after the death of the Emperor of Eternal Night, Nero Claudius herself disappeared from records.
In the Roman Empire, after Elric's departure, the ministers he had trained and Nero's guidance allowed the empire to prosper. However, the emperor's authority began to weaken.
The concept of equality, deeply rooted in the populace, eventually led to the establishment of the Roman Federation. The emperor's role transitioned from a ruling figure to a symbolic one, akin to a beacon of faith.
Yet, in the hearts of Romans, the Emperor of Eternal Night, Reinhard, held a unique place. Even with the imperial system abolished, to the people, Reinhard would always be their eternal king.
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"Speaking of which, Utaha is coming to eat for free today… isn't she?"
Initially, when Elric acquired the Memory Hall talent, he thought it was useful but not particularly exceptional. However, as time passed, he came to appreciate its value more and more.
Not only had the Memory Hall been immensely helpful during his time in the Roman Empire, but it now proved invaluable in day-to-day life. Even after 32 years, he still remembered that Kasumigaoka Utaha would be visiting for a free meal today.
"Now this is practical."
He began preparing dinner with casual ease. While washing vegetables, he opened the simulator store on his phone to check what he could exchange for his points.
"Let me see… Devil Fruits, Zanpakuto, Ninjutsu… There's quite a variety of options."
The simulator store was essentially limitless. His points could be used to exchange for professions, talents, skills, or even abilities and artifacts from the anime worlds he was familiar with.
Looking through the vast selection of exchangeable items, Elric's priority was clear—he needed to improve his sister Kasugano Sora's health.
"System, do you have any recommendations? I can't seem to find anything suitable."
He had come across plenty of medicines for treating physical ailments, but none of them seemed ideal for her condition. Trusting the simulator system's knowledge over his own, he decided to ask directly.
[Host, do you simply want your sister to recover, or do you want her to have a certain ability to protect herself?]
"Are my current points enough for either option?"
With only 4,000 points, Elric knew his resources weren't vast. Still, it wasn't a meager amount either, and he wasn't sure what kind of options that could unlock.
[T-Virus potion, physical fitness enhancer, entry-level magic... There are many low-level rewards like this.]
[However, if you're looking for something that's both suitable and has great development potential, you might want to consider obtaining a follower.]
Elric paused. In his world, supernatural threats like cursed spirits and monsters were not uncommon. While something like a T-Virus potion could improve physical fitness, it would be largely ineffective against beings immune to physical damage. A purely physical upgrade was a short-sighted solution.
In contrast, supernatural powers could provide more versatile and effective protection.
"Followers?"
The term brought to mind divine beings and their devout worshippers. He was certain that his current points were nowhere near sufficient to exchange for high-level entities.
[Host, don't forget your Emperor's Privileges, which allow you to bypass all occupational, power, and skill-learning conditions.]
[While you're not a god yet, your current body already carries the potential of divinity. With time and faith, it's entirely possible for you to cultivate your own believers.]
Because Elric was the Emperor of Eternal Night and carried the dual essence of the Beast of Apocalypse and the Beast of Savior, he was inherently qualified to become a god. Given enough time and belief, the possibility of creating his own world wasn't far-fetched.
"Follower? Could Sora become my Follower?"
[As long as she has enough faith in you and respects you, then yes.]
"What do I need to do?"
[Simply ask her directly.]
"Just… ask directly?"
The simplicity of the process caught Elric off guard. He hadn't expected becoming a believer to be this straightforward.
"Brother, what do you want to eat tonight?"
His thoughts were interrupted as Sora emerged from her room, wearing her usual pure white pajamas and clutching an old but well-loved rabbit doll.
Seeing him, her eyes widened, as if she were witnessing something beyond comprehension.
"Brother, how… how… how did you become so handsome?"
She rubbed her eyes, ensuring she wasn't hallucinating. Sora had always considered her brother good-looking, but at this moment, his handsomeness had transcended reality.
His already delicate skin now seemed ethereal, almost dreamlike, while his black eyes shone like stars with a faint golden glow. The shift in his aura—from elegance to a majestic, almost divine solemnity—was overwhelming.
If she didn't know any better, she might have mistaken her brother for an emperor descending from the heavens.
Just as the thought crossed her mind, Elric's demeanor shifted back to his usual self. The divine aura vanished, making it seem as though everything she had seen was merely an illusion.
"You're awake, Sora."
He smiled gently. "Tonight, we're having omelet rice and your favorite sweet and sour pork."
Suppressing the overwhelming aura of his imperial temperament, Elric approached her. Seeing the unreserved trust in her eyes, he finally posed the question.
"Sora, do you trust me? Are you willing to believe in me?"