Peter nods, “Mostly correct but not entirely. For instance, there can be artifacts that aren’t items. An example of this is artifact spells, though most call them lineage spells. A spell which broke the rules and so now only direct descendants of the original creator can use it. Sometimes to the point that it becomes a bloodline ability.”

“Those, however, are just the homegrown artifacts, if you will. I’ve found artifacts that couldn’t have come from our world. Take the example of the ladle I mentioned. Once it was created the System changed it so that using the same method to create another would instead create a ladle capable of turning a limited amount of water a day into soup. I won’t mention what artifacts I’ve found, but it would be like finding a brand new ladle artifact which was created exactly like the original artifact. It should not be possible and yet I will occasionally find such things.”

“Even more telling is when I find a collection. After all, the second one of those ladles is made, you’re done. It doesn’t matter how many similar ladles you have that are almost complete, they won’t be like the first. Even if you try to complete a batch of them all at once, it still doesn’t work. One becomes the artifact, and the rest become what is the new norm. So when I find a crate filled with duplicate artifacts they couldn’t have been made on NeoRealm. The System would not allow it. Especially when those duplicates were finished days apart.”

“Since that kind of thing is impossible under the System, they either came from before the System or outside of the System’s control. You would think such discoveries would convince my fellow explorers but they always find some excuse. But I don’t buy it. Now back to the question of if the System has always been here.”

“NeoRealm, new realm. Our planet, maybe even our entire universe is new. I don’t know if the System created it but I have never found something from NeoRealm that was from before the System. Therefore while I am not 100 percent certain of it, my guess is that the System was there from the start.”

“However, the System isn’t the end all be all. For instance, you can’t tell us but I am mostly certain that you travellers come from a place outside of the System’s control. My guess is that the System is even more limited than most would suspect. Going by the terminology we’ve gained from you travellers, the System probably only controls our solar system and the local sub-dimensions.”

Courtney frowns, “Why would you say just the local solar system? Oh, and what do you mean by local sub-dimensions?”

Gregor motions to Peter before taking over, “I can explain the local sub-dimension thing better than he can because it relates to my own area of study. Our universe is our dimension. However, we have other dimensions that we regularly deal with and travel to. Things like the elemental planes and the dreamlands. Simple enough.”

“Except there is a problem with that. We know our sun is a giant ball of flames and that at least some of the stars in the sky are the same but farther away. The sun has a major presence in the plane of fire. It is the center of everything there and all the most powerful pure fire elementals make it their home. Problem is, at the edge of the plane of fire there is not even a hint of those stars. You can’t even see them like you can see them in our sky. The plane of fire just ends in dimensional flux.”

“Similar things are true for the other elemental planes. That means they aren’t all encompassing like most people believe. In fact, part of my studies into storage devices; natural, crafted, and system made; has led me to something different from the mainstream belief. All these tricky sub-dimensions and hidden realms? They are all limited to this solar system. A true plane of fire should be an infinite realm that captures all of what fire has been, currently is, will be, and is imagined to be. A true plane of fire won’t have such limited beings as those fire lords who sit at the level cap. If anything, the sun itself should have an elemental entity representing it!”

Peter nods, “Well, there is another good reason to believe it is limited to just our solar system. Besides that, though, I’ve seen things out on the edge. Not the edges of NeoRealm but rather the edge of the solar system. Through powerful relics, crazed diviners, and peerless seers I’ve spied on what I believe to be the edge of the System. The System, if finite in scope and greater beings, skim along in the darkness, kept away simply because of some unknown rules that govern beings beyond us. After all, if part of breaking the final bottleneck is to throw off the Systems yoke, what is to stop someone who has done that to just stick around or come back when they are more powerful?”

Rosha whistles, “Well, I wasn’t expecting lovecraftian nightmares but here we are. NeoRealm is very much deeper than I ever thought, even with my background.”

Courtney sighs, “I’m going to have so much more to look into now. All of that is a good point, and it makes my job so much harder! What am I even supposed to do with knowledge about things beyond the edge of the System?”

Jason cuts her off with a laugh, “There isn’t anything you can do with that besides keep looking. We are so far away from even touching the edge of that kind of nonsense. Even those who strive to cap out their levels don’t always make it. Though things are coming along well on my end so I might have something to nudge things in your favor if you want to live to see those edges. Last night I completed an important step and tonight I’m going to go over my gains so we shall see.”

Akhier

Thank you for reading! Next two chapters are free on my Patreon ( https://www.patreon.com/dragonheartednovels ), five chapters beyond that for only a dollar, and many more for five dollars (two chapters release a week at this tier).