Chapter 765: A Victim
I Hate Systems
âThis is my honest feelings toward you, Zairaâ¦â
âFuck you!â
For a moment following his words, there was absolute silence in the world. It wasnât because of a sense of oppression or anything but that the time of the entire world had come to a standstill.
The image of a butterfly fluttering echoed in the visible spectrum as a humanoid entity created wholly out of Mental Energy landed before Slayer, depicting a petite young woman with eyes swirling with starlight akin to an entire galaxy.
Even though his body was constricted, Slayerâs eyes trailed towards the lady before soon, his body broke free from the time stop, glaring at the opponent with power-suffused eyes.
âYouâve changed, Gilthru.â The petite woman was a manifestation of energy forming the figure of Zaira, one whose swirling eyes trailed over Slayer, âYouâve grown stronger than the last time I saw you. Kind of strange, right?â
âSince youâve always been my weak underling.â
âFor a mere few days during my youth.â Slayer interjected, âIâve never been under your beck and call beyond that.â
âTrue, but it is what it is.â Her lips curled up to her ears, âOnce my underling, always my underling.â
She extended her hand towards him, âThe Main Character System fragment in your possession. Itâs unique and something even Arnark doesnât possess. It has never experienced the modification that all Systems underwent over time. Itâs still raw and full of potential.â
âWhy donât you give it to me?â
She tilted her head cutely, âIâm sure Iâll have a better use for it than you.â
âHahâ¦â Slayer exhaled a breath of air before muttering with a hint of disdain, âSeriously, Zairaâ¦are you confusing me with Arnark? You knowâ¦â
âIâm not the Main Character.â
Upon seeing her expression freeze up, Slayer expressed calmly, âIâve always been the unfortunate ally thatâs dragged around by the Main Character. It has never changed. And as it goes in all the storiesâ¦â
âIâm not the character that allies with the enemy. Iâm just an unfortunate victim that becomes a casualty during the battle between the protagonist and the antagonist.â
âSo many years, and it seems youâve learned how to speak.â The figure of Zaira dissipated upon being glared at by Slayer, rendered into bits before being absorbed by the world. Her voice though, still resounded in the world, âBut, letâs see if you can stop me.â
âWhat?â Slayerâs eyes lit up in shock upon sensing a world being created in the same universe.
At the same time, Zairaâs smug voice resounded, âEven I cannot carelessly intrude into your world. But, I neednât do that. All I need to do is create another world in the corner of your universe and gradually strengthen it enough to go against your world.â
âI have the resources to do that.â An instant later, a world formed far away from the Fantasy World, sporting a blank slate. But a second later, billions of lifeforms appeared there, going about with their respective lives as they took on a magical world power system.
It did not use mana through spells like the conventional way but instead relied upon magical technology, creating bioengineered creatures with machinery, resulting in terrifying growth potential.
And worst of all, their sheer numbers and mode of combat formed a natural counter to the power of the Fantasy World. After all, in their worldâs power system, their magic engineering required the body parts of creatures with magic to create tools out of.
For them, every single living organism in the Fantasy World was a creature whose body parts could be harvested to be turned into magical weapons. By equipping these magical weapons, the natives would grow stronger, creating a beneficial cycle for them and a vicious cycle for those in the Fantasy World.
The enemy would continue to plunder their strength until nothing was left.
This was the standard plot taken in various worlds where the sentient race thereâtypically humansârose against the oppressors and transformed the bodies of the slain oppressors into powerful weapons to wield.
Zaira had already enacted the standard approach to destroy Slayer completely, activating more than a million Core Skills to create a functioning, complex world with a sentient race wielding a power system that countered the Fantasy Worldâs power system.
âYou said Iâll have to be prepared to lose at least one of my three Grade 4 Systems?â Zairaâs chuckle resounded, bombarding Slayer as the mountain beside him was levelled instantly, âHow cute.â
âNot even a single System would lose its life against you. This world I created would continue to wear you down until nothing is left of you.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Considering Slayerâs current potential, he could easily kill and absorb the Core Skills of Grade 2 Systems. And swallowing even a Grade 3 Systemâs Core Skill was possible, since he currently controlled the entire Fantasy World, the birthplace of Systems.
Therefore, sending any System to face him was a foolish move, one that would only serve to further strengthen him. This was why Zaira creatively constructed a world whose entire purpose of existence was to invade the Fantasy World and steal its power.
âSlayer, what must we do now?â Keel asked in concern, a tad weaker as compared to before after losing his Apostle powers, âWe finally created a solid base for ourselves. But by directly being targeted by Zaira, weâre doomed.â
âThatâs where youâre wrong.â Slayer still wore a smile, âNot using any Systems is the best method to deal with me. But, that is true only if the opponent is me alone.â
âYou meanâ¦?â Keelâs eyes slowly widened in shock as he was smart, instantly grasping what Slayer was getting at.
Balveta stared at Slayer in a hurry, âDo you mean to imply that we extend a hand of alliance to them now, after everything they did to hinder us?â
âExtend a hand of alliance?â Slayer laughed, shaking his head to say, âWe neednât do that. Conjurer is chasing after them as we speak. As long as he continues to involve Stencil in his plans, the Main Character is our staunch ally.â
âWe only need to ensure that Stencil is alive.â He said, sensing a vast stream of fate converge in the Fantasy World, âDo you know the term that best describes Compass Carburettor?â
âIsnât it the Main Character?â Balveta spoke in confusion.
âDidnât we find out that Compass Carburettor is just one that forms the Main Character?â Slayer eyed Balveta, urging her to use her brain.
âHeâs a merchant!â Balveta clapped her hand.
âNormally, thatâs true.â Slayer nodded as his eyes glinted in excitement, staring at the figure of Aronaut and the group teleporting from one place to another, âBut add his daughter in the mix, one where sheâs in harm due to certain elements. Thatâs when his true nature surfaces. And that isâ¦â
Balveta paled in response, staring at Slayer with an incredulous gaze as she muttered, âA-Aggressor. Heâll be the aggressor.â
âBingo,â Slayer nodded, âThe aggressor would appear, just wait.â