A man and a robot wandered together across the beautiful green canopy of the woods.
The man in business attire was an unusual sight in this wilderness, as was the robot. The robot, which had several mechanical feelers on its legs, hands, and head, was the embodiment of an abomination.
One of its feelers kept blinking a green light.
[My Lord, I've surveyed the terrain and we'll soon approach a nearby stream.]
"Put a stop to it."
[What do you mean, Lord?]
"Stop with the Lord thing!" Austin yelled at the XI3796.
[...]
[That is not feasible.]
[You have accepted the great responsibility of restoring Xisu's glory. According to the Last Ones' pact, Xisu will be ruled by the worthy. As a result, it is proper for me to address you as Lord Austin.]
"Whatever the fuck you're saying, I've never accepted it. I've simply accepted the circumstances."
Austin gave XI45447 a chilly stare.
[There is a reasonable chance that you will have to use your Xisu Inheritance powers just to stay alive. You must accept the Last Ones' mission in order to use it.]
[Accepting the situation implies accepting the Xisu Inheritance.]
"What do you mean by 'I'll have difficulty keeping alive?'"
[This Universe differs greatly from yours. According to preliminary findings, even the weakest person in this universe is as powerful as five of you.]
[That is the weakest link. I'm not sure who the elites are, or who the strongest is.]
[If they are hostile, you may perish quickly.]
"It's still better than receiving this Xisu Inheritance," he sneered.
[However, I will not allow it.]
"You can do whatever you want. I will not accept your aim simply because you urge me to. It was your mistake to bring me here without my permission."
[...]
Following this brief outburst, Austin and XI3796 resumed their journey.
...
"I'd like to return," the man quietly whispered to himself.
However, the robot's enhanced detecting abilities allowed it to hear this and quickly perked up.
[Austin, you may be able to defeat it and return home if you reach the zenith of your power. And this may be achievable only with the assistance of the Xisu Inheritance.]
The man remained silent.
[...]
[What are your thoughts on it?]
[Austin]
[Lord Austin]
Austin finally asked, glaring at XI3796, "Do you take me for a fool?"
[...]
[I suppose there is a miscommunication.]
"No, there isn't!"
"How long will it take me to gain enough power? Can you guarantee that I will be the strongest tomorrow? Of course not, otherwise, you would not have been wiped out."
XI3796's feelers instantly turned into some sort of weapon.
[The Xisu shall not be dishonoured by anyone.]
But Austin remained unfazed.
"Huh? Can it?"
The animosity between them quickly intensified. Austin wouldn't take it any longer, and XI3796 also would not tolerate any insults directed towards the Xisu.
[Are they truly so significant? I'm offering you the opportunity to be the most powerful, the richest, to have anything you want, and to dominate the world. Can they compete with this?]
"They certainly can. You won't understand, you tin can!"
[...]
[Fine.]
[I'm going, to be honest with you. I utilised all of my energy the first time I opened the Universe Portal, and I don't have enough to do it again.]
[It's just enough to get you started on your journey. If I had the option, I would have sent you back a long time ago.]
"Is there really no way?" Austin begged.
[No]
But XI3976's cold harsh words responded.
[Right now, even I'm not willing to recognise you as deserving. But we don't have an option.]
Austin's shoulders drooped and he just stood there for a while.
Finally, he yielded and took whatever was about to be thrown at him, "Fine, I accept... I accept the inheritance."
[You'll thank me someday.]
"Never"
[We'll see.]
[...]
[Now let me show you something.]
XI3796's feelers began thrashing madly, thrashing so fast that it was nearly impossible to see them any longer.
After about five minutes, they came to a halt, and some of the feelers stretched toward Austin, handing him a futuristic-looking gun.
(Image credit: Lei Zhang)
Austin didn't move, staring at it in awe until he was nudged by XI3796.
[Grab it]
"Oh... Oh, I was just amazed, that's all."
[This is typical.]
Austin enthusiastically took the gun and began inspecting it.
"I already feel like I'm going to thank you."
[It gives me much pleasure.]
"Hehe..."
[Shoot with it]
"What?"
[Try shooting with it.]
"But... But I've never handled a firearm before."
[Don't worry, you won't be hurt. Just keep your arm straight, aim, and shoot. Because this uses energy bullets, the recoil will be much softer.]
Austin hesitated for a moment before striking a suave pose he'd seen in movies. He shot at a neighbouring tree while holding the gun straight. When he pushed the trigger, a blue light exited the barrel and struck the tree, passing through it and striking another tree before fizzling out.
"Wow!!"
[Recording...]
[Analysing...]
The timber here is significantly tougher. The bullet, according to previous assumptions, should have travelled through twenty trees before stopping.]
"Twenty trees? That is so cool."
[Don't be that surprised. This is but a sliver of the overall picture. This gun was used for playing by children.]
"I can't help it. What else can you do if this is what children used to play with?"
[Would you like me to send you the data directly?]
"What exactly do you mean?"
[I shall directly implant all of my knowledge into your head.]
"You can even do this?"
[Small tricks]
"Sure"
[After the initial phase of rejection, you have become quite accepting.]
"If I can't change it, I will embrace it."
[Good thinking.]
[I will now start data transfer.]
Austin suddenly felt as if something had attached itself to him. It was a strange sensation because he didn't feel it physically. Following that, he felt stuffed, as if someone had given him too much to eat. But it wasn't his stomach that felt that way; it was his head.
"Damn, it feels so strange."
[Don't be worried. It felt strange because this was your first neural transfer, but it will improve with time.]
"I hope so..."
"What the fucking hell is going on? I can totally recall stuff I don't remember memorising."
[Please go through them.]
"Sure"
"This... This... I'm beginning to regret ever refusing to receive this shit!"
[This is shit?]
"No, that was a figurative expression."
[I und...]
"Stop! Let me go through these things."
Going through the information took a long time. But after reviewing the data, Austin could only think of one thing: 'I've struck gold!!'
[It appears that you are delighted with it. Can your previous relationships be compared with this?]
"They certainly can!"
[...]
[Austin, now that you've seen everything, would you accept your inheritance and rule over Xisu?]
"What if I don't?"
[In that case, I must obliterate you and consider my mission a failure.]
"... Okay, I accept it."
[All right, please sign this agreement.]
Some of XI3796's feelers shone before presenting a blue screen with letters on it. In Austin's hand, a pen projection also appeared.
[This agreement is to ensure that you do not lose sight of the aim.]
"And what if I don't achieve it in my lifetime?"
[It doesn't matter; even Xisu's best minds failed. I don't have high hopes for you. This agreement simply states that you must ensure that Xisu's legacy does not die away.]
[Please read and sign it now.]
"Okay"
Austin found the agreement to be fairly lenient after reading it. He only needs to ensure that Xisu's legacy is not lost, and if he is unable to complete the Last One's purpose, he must pass it on to the next deserving. By not losing sight of the goal, XI3796 meant that he should not damage Xisu's legacy.
Austin immediately agreed with it after discovering nothing problematic about it.
After signing it, Austin turned to face XI3796, who now had all of its feelers facing him. They were all waving slowly, and a strange scratching sound came from them.
Austin took a step back in terror.
"Wait, what?"
XI3796, glowing crimson, announced:
[I, XI3796, by the power of the Last Ones, declare Austin Auger as the new king of Xisu.]
