Infinite Potential System

Chapter 401 The Memories Return

Fria looked at William with visible confusion in her eyes. As far as she remembered, this NPC shouldn't know her name. This wasn't the type of game where the NPCs would automatically know you, you had to introduce yourself first.

Maybe he has known my name ever since we met in the Gravitas Ruins? That must be it. Fria concluded.

"I guess it has." she smiled. "You've become a lot stronger since the Trial Tower."

Unconsciously, tears began to flow from Fria's eyes, but she didn't understand why. She assumed it had something to do with one of William's many unique skills.

Now it was William's turn to be confused. Something about Fria's expression was off, and the way that she greeted him wasn't like his lovable sister that played video games and enjoyed slacking off. It was almost as if she and William had become two strangers on the street that had met once before.

Also, the Trial Tower? images flashed through William's mind as he tried to remember faces and names from when he was inside the Gravitas Ruins. In an instant, a masked girl wielding an ethereal greatsword popped up.

It was her?!? I was so close the entire time? Has she been here as long as I have?

William didn't fully understand, but all of his answers were right in front of him. "Fria, do you not remember me?"

"Of course I remember. We fought the Ancient Gravitas Mummy together." she gave William a thumbs-up.

"Not that... I'm your brother, remember?" he didn't know how else to word it.

"My brother? I don't—" Fria paused.

"You don't?" William asked, but Fria didn't respond for a long time. Instead, her body shifted left and right while a series of images and memories returned, while the conflicting memories faded into nothingness.

First came her childhood. Memories of her climbing trees by herself in the backyard started to include William's faint outline, which became clearer and clearer as time passed. Her middle school years spent struggling with difficult math problems became her and William working together on a difficult problem.

Even her early adulthood changed. Instead of her working by herself to earn money for the new game, it became William purchasing it for her while she didn't even have a job.

And then came the memory of her on the bus. She watched it all over again as William's figure disappeared, and even the breeze that tried to alter her memories was there. This time, however, William's Resist Fate Talent came into effect, wiping away the breeze before it could reach Fria for a second time.

"Will!" tears streamed from Fria's face as she rushed forward to hug her brother.

William smiled as he returned the hug, relieved to see that his sister seemed to be her old self once again. "What happened? How are you here?"

"I could ask the same of you! How did you get the NPC tag?"

"Huh? NPC tag? What do you mean?" William was also quite familiar with many games, so he understood the term NPC, but he didn't know why Fria was using it while referring to him. And the way her eyes glowed uniquely when she looked at him...

System, what's going on?

-Fria thinks you are an NPC inside a video game.

I get that, but is it true?

-Finish the Quests and you'll naturally know.

Damn it! William became visibly frustrated. If he was in a video game, why not just tell him when he first arrived? Why wait until now?

Being in a video game made sense when William thought about it, what with the System, a Guild Hall, various Sects and dozens of Factions that always wanted to kill him, but at the same time...

Stuck in a video game... that's so cliche and boring. Not to mention the Heavens, Duon, and the System itself seem very realistic. It can't be just that...

"The text above your head says NPC. Did you get that from a developer or something?" Fria asked excitedly. She had completely overlooked the memory of William's strange disappearance, assuming he was simply somewhere else.

"Uh... No." William scratched his head as he contemplated her words. He avoided revealing his own System's existence, but he explained his situation as best he could to Fria, who looked at him with wide eyes the entire time.

It was the first time she had heard of someone being stuck inside the game, but it wasn't too surprising considering all the weird things that happened with VR.

While he explained his situation to Fria, William simultaneously held a conversation with the System in his mind.

Text box? Are you attached to her too, System?

-It's not the same being as me, but a weaker imitation. Most of the functions are similar to mine, but they couldn't possibly compare to the real deal.

Is that so? You must be quite strong, then.

-Naturally.

William sensed a hint of pride from the System as it spoke, reminding him of its tsundere attitude.

"Are you planning to Ascend soon?" Fria asked William suddenly.

"Ah, yes. But I still have something to do first." William replied. "Are there other people here with you?"

"What else do you need to do? You're already so strong..." Fria started, "I had my Elder with me, but he's Cultivating right now because he said he's too weak to protect me. Other than that, there's a few other Players that join me for Quests from time to time."

Other Players? I get it now. William smiled, having gained a slightly clearer picture of the World as it was.

If his deductions were correct, Fria and the other Players had come to this World through some sort of transport method, and they could come and go as they pleased. It was the only way to explain how they thought this World was a video game, and why they thought he was an NPC and not a real person.

While William wanted to believe that this World was fake and that he would live a peaceful life eternally, he could tell that there was much more to the story. The System didn't react like a bunch of lines of code, and the interactions he had with many of the others didn't line up with any video games he knew of.

The technology was way too advanced, and likely not cost effective for any company. No, it had to be real.

And if that was the case...

William had a guess, but he wasn't fully confident, so he refrained from asking the System. He knew it wouldn't respond anyway.

"I have to unseal the World. Do you want to help me?" William asked.

"Will I get a lot of Points for helping?" Fria returned.

Points? She gets them too?

-They're earned the same way you gain them, but with many more limitations. They also can gain Talents, but it's not through a Talent Shop like the advantage you have.

"We just reunited and you're already trying to take benefits from me?" William frowned.

"Hehe. You know it!" Fria beamed.

Well, I guess helping my sister isn't a bad thing. I already have so many Potential Points anyway.

"There will be a lot of Magical Beasts. I'll leave some behind for you as long as you can handle it." William replied.

"Yay!" Fria was overjoyed. The lack of Potential Points in the Lower Realms was the main reason why she didn't Ascend. Who would have known that her adopted brother would solve that issue for her?