Chapter 5: World exposition (1)

Miho could only lament inwardly. She wasn't the only one with a system. Not the only person gifted. Just one among millions. With an old version at that. Obsolete. An obsolete system, who has ever heard of that?! Her life sure seems cruel, doesn't it. Almost a joke. To spit in the face the only thing she used to 1up others in uniqueness.

She couldn't help recalling a question she had asked Fae when she was still in the lab. 

Is the system p-powerful?

At that time she was still naive. She couldn't even notice that with all the full body test done to her by those maniacs every day, they didn't even notice the existence of the system.

Miho almost wanted to slap herself for asking such dumb question back then. So she reconstructed her question. (How powerful is the system?)(Miho)

[Powerful enough to retrieve an ancient artifact from the other side of the universe and present it to you as the reward of a task in less than one nanosecond.]

Huuuuu~~

Miho sucked in a breath of cold air.

(Can my system do that?) Miho spoke with fear underlining her tone, but she concealed it well.

[Oh my little, adorable Miho, that's a basic function of all systems. Even outdated version like ours can do it.]

(...)

[...]

Just from Fae's response, the gravity of what the system really was settled in Miho's mind.

(If it is all powerful why split? Why bind yourselves to the souls of people? What does it gain?)(Miho)

[That I don't know. At least it's not among its files. What I do know is the way it gains from having you complete missions]

(Okay, tell me)(Miho)

[Okay, get this. The system, if my conjecture is correct, a fracture of a cosmic being of energy made up of integrated systems. Which for some reason or the other split apart into millions of...well, systems. Since it was originally a being of energy, it needs an energy source to stay functional. Now, not all fractured systems can be fortunate enough to end up on an energy source like a star, right? So what about those that were unfortunate enough to end up on a planet?]

(They think of a way to continue existence by binding to an energy source.)(Miho)

[Exactly, that's why they bind themselves to humans or other living races. In exchange for various rewards and resources, they get you to voluntarily supplement them energy by making you accept task. A task, in essence, is a form of agreement between the host and the system. By choosing to perform a task, you actually agree to supplement some energy to the system voluntarily for a chance to get rewards if you complete a set of tasks.]

(What are experience points then? I remember getting a million of them over four years, right?)

[Technically, doing tasks non-stop for four years won't get you up to a million experience points. I was able to hack the system and gave you extra experience points for even the menial of tasks.]

(Oh, but that doesn't still tell me what experience points are.)

[They are more like contribution points. You have enough and you can ask the system for favours, like purchasing those pills like I did earlier. The store is just an appearance, in essence you are exchanging contribution points to get things from the system. And on a normal bases those pills would not be in the store if you had tried accessing them on your own.]

Miho's brain quickly caught on to what Fae was implying.

(So you mean for a while now, you've been able to influence the rewards given by the system after completion of tasks? And you didn't feel the need for me to know?)

[Relax Miho, it was to prevent you from being too reliant on such things. I was afraid that you'll get complacent.] Fae chided Miho like he was talking to a child. [And from the looks of it, I was right to have done so.]

(Okay, okay. I understand. Is that the big reveal you said would shake my worldview? I have to admit, it was shocking. But it was all kind of as expected.)

Fae didn't reply to Mihos taunt. But spoke with his actions next.

Entity Fae has enabled the system operating capacity at 100%. Downloading necessary data.

.

.

Loading daily tasks… completed!

Unlocking the system shop… completed!

Initiating rewards system… completed!

Loading world atlas… completed!

Retrieving this world storyline… completed!

Loading hidden quest… completed!

Loading chain missions… completed! 

Connecting to the main server… error!

Connecting to the main server… error!

Attempting reconnecting to the mother system… ERROR!!!

Damage has been located in systems quantum network. Urgent upgrade required…

Initiating upgrade…

Failed. Insufficient energy. Recommends host to move towards an high level energy source for absorption.

Along with that message came a piercing headache which made Miho wince. Though it hurts, but not the worse Miho has received.

(Alright, I do have to admit that that was unexpected. Like what the hell is with those block red letters? And that ominous warning at the end? Talk about creepy. Right Fae?)(Miho)

[...]

(Fae?!)

[Sorry for the delay, had to exterminate some bugs.]

(Oh) Miho replied without questioning Fae the slightest.

(Why does the system refer to itself in plural?)

[I think since the 'system' is made of various micro systems, subdivided into other smaller systems and spread across the galaxy through a quantum network, it's only right to refer to itself in plural form.]

(Huh?!) Miho muttered confused.

[Lie down Miho, I'll send you the storyline for this world.]

Miho did as she was told and lay her back on the bed before closing her eyes and accepting the storyline.

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