-Sous-

Split core, two frontier cores, conquest core, frontier lodestone, thirteen Aux cores, six Aux lodestones: in the split second that the sixteen dungeon cores and seven lodestones were installed via the aid of the Architect Compita and the Vox Phantasm, both the Enigma’s capacity to hold dungeon-mana reserves and root-grand mana reserves were pushed to their absolute max, sending all the blackzone managers, myself included, reeling with near blindly mana-drunkenness. And the very next second I felt both reserves being rapidly drained from the creation of four autonomous blackzones and eighty-four enlightened monsters made from a new type of monster, gingerbread urbanite. Centering myself around my pair of secondary consciousnesses fused into one by my synthesis feature, Conjoined Secondary Assistant, I work on flushing the aggressive mana-drunkenness out of my system. 

Weathering through the mental storm, I focused on shifting through the new information: The remaining influence of Zethuron’s contract was cut in half due to the sheer influx of dungeon-mana reserves, the enlightened monsters were made from either being ascended into partial-neo-sentients, being turned into sweet tooths or taffy twined, and or being made or race advanced into a enlightened monster-witch-cursed type of contracted existence, and most importantly the four new autonomous blackzones possessed pocket dimensions sustained by some sort of system-made focus. Focusing on my ethereal vision, I saw that these pocket dimensions made by the Hybrid System of Warring Cores overlapped the entire Enigma, feeling closer to mirroring of real space than bubble-spaces. But that wasn’t important right now, what was was that I could sense intruders using the hybrid system and its pocket dimensions: Robert’s quest had started in full and we were only now given the recipes needed to handle it.

“Departie, work with my secondary conscious to coordinate with the other system assistants, we need all residents of the Enigma willing to defend the system-made base cores forging connections to this hybrid system now,” I told my system assistant before feeling out the other blackzone managers via the Enigma and Robert: of the people that could be currently considered combat ready there was me, Neo Draceld Z, and Alexander-Harper and Harper-Alexander; Daphne and Lucilla were also already recovering; beyond that the next to recover would surprisingly be Robert but that wasn’t useful; Mita and Ras would likely follow; but Umi, Terrin, and Louella all likely wouldn’t be able to aid in repelling this invasion. This isn’t just leaving the frying pan for fire, this is leaving the frying pan for the incinerator.

“I am reaching out now, all residents will be fully informed within five minutes,” informed Departie before continuing, “As for the gingerbread urbanites, they are all already mobilizing themselves.”

“All of them?”

“Yes, one of the ingredients incorporated to all of them whether or not they were made enlightened was a faux-system slot being dedicated to the Hybrid System of Warring Cores.”

“Well that should solve one issue,” I mused, working on forging a system slot’s connection to the hybrid system and naming the account within it ‘SousRMFHPS.’ Probing the system slot’s connection as I locked into the gold factions, joining the system faction of Goldenrod Compita-Phantasm, I gained a better sense of what the hybrid system entailed: everything was kit based, forcing the user to use the items provides with all other magics being incredibly difficult to use in comparison. 

Naturally I wouldn’t attempt to face these intruders head on, my real body never left my penthouse here in System Assistant’s Caketopia unless necessary but I didn’t have knowledge of the proxy device this hybrid system used nor the time to set one up if I did. I’ll have to make use of Remote-Controlled Orange SteelStar in tandem with Historie Pastoria Sweet’s Dark Trinity of Spirits to deploy a body on the battlefield, I strategized as I filtered through the options of kits I could pick from to start: given how restrictive the hybrid system was in terms of unauthorized magics, this would only barely work and only if I choose the proper kit.

As I chose the kit of Deployed Mechanist, I felt my secondary conscious organizing the movements of the Enigma’s blackzone managers, residents, and allies: most of the gingerbread urbanites were moving to project the autonomous blackzone in Golden Local Imports, Louella’s housemate were already positioned to protect the autonomous blackzone in the expansion of the spiral corridor of Crestier, Rainbow Rope District; Alexander-Harper and Harper-Alexander were already nearing the conquest in Dragon Country, Demon Candy Child’s Caketopia, with the aid of Tabbi and three of her Nierelf housemates; and Daphne and Lucilla were en route to the expansion in Casino Nebula, Retro-Sweets District, with Robby and were going to be received from Wesley and two more spellmen from Nierelf.

I should support the Retro-Sweets District front, Daphne and Lucilla will not be in optimal conditions are Robby is only marginally better at fighting than Robert, I note as I went to deploying my crystalline mote form outside of the autonomous blackzone there, First Candy Base, and went to layering my remote controlled desire of relations SteelStar and the Deployed Mechanist. The feeling of cross-karmic retribution was instant but manageable: the operation time of the mechanical artificial body that served as Deployed Mechanist’s singular item was going to be furthered reduced but I would be able to manage by drawing on what processing power from being a system assistant I could currently access plus drawing on the Enigma’s dungeon-mana reserves. 

Controlling both of my artificial bodies, I headed toward the system-made base core within the mirroring of the autonomous blackzone with my SteelStar while I maneuvered my kit-made artificial body toward the intersection that my secondary consciousness last saw Daphne, Lucilla, and Robby. I couldn’t help but feel frustration with the restrictive scope of this hybrid system: with the Game System of Sins of the SteelStar I was able to readily communicate with other system assistants, even after becoming a magi-sentient and stargranted, but this hybrid system did not allow that luxury so easily. This may be more difficult of a recipe that I originally thought, I mused as I adjusted myself to the gravity of Casino Nebula: a processing power-empowered guesstimate placed at around 80% of a normal Earth’s gravity.

“Departie, prioritize listening to me via hearing and verbalize your communications back to me audibly,” I commanded my system assistant as I turned the corner to see a singular person in pale ceramic-coloured armour holding a chainsaw in his hands.

“Confirmed, prioritizing System Assistant Com-Booster,” audibly confirmed Departie, accidentally attracting the person’s attention.

“Oh damn, a mech-using goldie, talk about my lucky day,” laughed the man as he revved his chainsaw, causing some sort of fluid to spatter across the concrete.

“And who might you be?” I asked, shifting into what I felt was the appropriate combat stance for this artificial body as I discreetly inspected my combat abilities: activate plasma sword, activate energy shield, and fire mana bolt. Every second of usage reduced this body’s operation time and I couldn’t help but lament over the fact I couldn’t replenish operating time fast enough to produce a net positive even with the help of the Enigma.

“I’m SawMan100 of Carbon Pharma.”

“A polite invader, that is a surprise.” The prophecy that Robert received with his quest coloured this hybrid system and its user as cruel, although clearly that wasn’t the full picture.

“Hey, I know a new secret worlder when I see one. I’m not going to kill you right away, even if you aren’t using your actual body or whatever.” With that the man rushed toward me, chainsaw raised.

Throwing up my arm, I activated the energy shield, watching as it bloom out of my forearm in a series of concentric circles. The fluid-spattering teeth of chainsaw caught the edge of the shield, forcing out a high-pitched grinding sound as I was forced back. I could tell from the way SawMan100 moved and swung his weapon that his proficiency in combat was no different than that of the average delver, perhaps slightly above average, but that did not mean I was safe.

This artificial body was deceptively lightweight despite its metallic composite and with the lowered gravity, each blow carried greater force than expected. Not to mention just by blocking my opponent’s chainsaw my artificial body’s operation time was being decreased as an even greater rate. Not wanting to drain my operation time any further than I had to, I positioned my other wrist between me and SawMan100, activating my artificial body’s plasma sword.

As the sword shot out from my wrist, the other secret worlder twisted himself backward, releasing his attack and only receiving a glancing strike that broke armour and passive spell shield but not flesh. Readjusting his grip on his chainsaw, he shouted,

“Now, tricky move there.”

“Thank you,” I replied calmly as I quickly deactivated the sword as Departie suddenly commented,

“Reinforcements are inbound.” The sound of movement behind cause me to instinctively tense up, only to relax a fraction as I saw a colourful whip fly well over my head and attempt to strike at SawMan100. As he deflected the whip, I took my chance to create some distance and take a look at my new allies: a group of individuals I could only place as the gingerbread urbanites with their gingerbread-esque flesh and suits, currently being led by one with the signature elongated crystalline-coated canine of a sweet tooth and the colourful extra appendage made of sugary rope that wrapped around his right arm that also marked him a taffy twined. Taking a look at me and my new allies, the invading secret worlder blurted out,

“Yeah, this is so not worth wasting my system insurance.”

System insurance? It would make sense for a hybrid system like this to have its own form of insurance for reviving people, I mused as SawMan100 bolted off; a few of the gun-wielding gingerbread urbanites taking casual potshots at him to keep him from second guessing himself. A quick probe into my system slot’s connection showed that even my account already possessed two sets of system insurance: one that required regular upkeep like most similar insurances out there and another that needed an incredibly large lump sum of mana and connectivity material to recharge, currently ready for use.

“I’m glad that we arrived when we did,” commented the head double witch-cursed in charge. “And I’m also glad to see that you are safe, Sous.”

“It was perfect time, regrettably I couldn’t have handled that heat for much longer” I replied as I inspected him, watching him coil his whip-like appendage around his arm. Likely sensing my inquisitive nature of his appearance, the enlightened monster introduced himself,

“Pardon the mildly late introduction, but I’m D-John C, the fourth commander of the enlightened gingerbread urbanites.”

“The monsters created to aid Robert and the others in their quest, I’ve managed to only glimpse at your monster information.” From what I managed to read through and what Departie explained to me in the incredibly short time period since the start of the quest, all I could feel was that these creations were closer to entities in monsters with their variety of faux-system slot’s connections, but categorization was everything and having them as monsters made them easier to deploy, revive, and replenish.

“Sir, we should move now, more invaders from Carbon Pharma are inbound from the east,” called out one of the gingerbread urbanites from behind D-John C. I could see they were already ready to move and intercept: with a single knowing look at D-John C, I gave him a nod to go ahead, he had his task already handed to him and I had mine to meet up with Daphne and Lucilla. To think this quest would grant us such a great boon in the form of an enlightened monster fighting force. Once this battle is concluded and we finish cleaning up the crumbs, I will have to meet with D-John C again along with the other commanders of these enlightened gingerbread urbanites.

Following the directions provided by Departie, I reached my destination and found Daphne, Lucilla, and Robby finding a group of ceramic humanoid summons and more secret worlders from the Carbon Pharma faction. As I entered the fray, I noticed another group of people arriving: Wes’s alt-rhi, Wesley, along with a tall lean man wielding a spear, Pleathad O’Setanta, and a latino girl holding a crystal-studded pickaxe, Nicole Vives. Waving his spear, the man I knew as Pleathad or rather Thad, shouted, 

“Don’t worry! Reinforcements are here!”