The Systemic Lands

Chapter 288: Day 626 – A Return To Horror

Chapter 288: Day 626 – A Return To Horror

All this running was exhausting. I had gone directly Northwest from Purgatory through the swamp. There were black iris floating eyes, which shot black beams at me. I dodged them and pushed on rapidly with Air Burst. The skill was really getting a workout.

I cleared the swamp and saw a pit and likely dungeon to the Northwest, I would stop there on the way back. I then turned West, kicking off the ground at a quick but leisurely pace. I entered the problem zone, and the ground was still solid. No jelly ground, which was a good sign.

There were purple rabbit monsters that unleashed hums in my direction that cracked the ground where I had been. That was another good sign that the Almighty System had gained back control over the area. I did not want to be caught in a battle between two eldritch powers. The Almighty System on one side and that shard or shards on the other.

The fact that the effects were so widespread was quite concerning. Also, that they were instantly corrected was scary as well. It clearly showcased the overwhelming power the Almighty System had. It truly was a God with a capital ‘G’ in every sense of the word.

First the meta-points and now this correction or response to an anomaly. The Almighty System was aware in some fashion. I didn’t want to ascribe it human traits, but it clearly had some higher level decision making abilities. It wasn’t a dumb weapon or terraforming alien program.

Both things were like signs from God, like the burning bush to Mosses on Mount Sinai when he got the ten commandments. First commandment of the Almighty System, don’t change the Systemic Lands to jelly and disrupt things. I chuckled to myself at that thought. But the fact that the Almighty System intervened directly was a scary thought.

It was one thing to imagine a system just chugging along like a bot. But for it to act in some way, showed that it was not to be trifled with. Poking it could have very serious consequences, beyond not having store access.

I ran across some holes in the ground, with void way down, but the ground was solid. I reached the point where I had taken off with the Astrologer before over the pit of void. I could see the black bubbles floating around, a sheen to their edges making it possible to see them. But the ground was as hard as ever.

The edge was more ragged than the edge to the void zones or the cracks that extended from them, but there was a clearly defined edge, that wasn’t oozing off into nothingness. There was also no floating chunks of matter or people that I could see. My guess, is that whatever that other energy was, was erased, but the terrain was still messed up.

I also wondered if that shard of pure energy was still out there over the void. Without the Astrologer, there was no way I was going to try and fly over the pit of darkness. That was a big no. I only trusted him to an extent, since he clearly knew what he was doing, and I wanted a meta-point.

My feelings for the thing that was the Astrologer I knew were complicated. I chose to ignore my feelings and turn North. I eventually came to the landscape that was flesh. I noted that there were no monsters near this area of the zone.

The division between the flesh landscape with rivulets of blood and the shadowlands I was currently in, was a stark contrast. The flesh slowly moved and twisted. I picked up a stone and threw it on the flesh landscape. The stone instantly disintegrated into dust the moment it touched the flesh. There was nothing left.

One second the stone was there, then nothing. Not even a sound or anything else. “Acid Shot.” I used my skill behind me. There was no reaction. “Air Burst.” I prepped the skill for a quick escape if needed. “Acid Shot.” I used the skill on the flesh.

My acid instantly vaporized into nothingness as it impacted the flesh and blood. There was no reaction. I looked closer at the boundary between the two landscapes, and there was a very small gap between the two. I moved away and looked at the flesh and blood once again contemplating how creepy it was.

The Astrologer had speculated it was the result of the Almighty System bleeding off excess energy into a terraforming process. If that was an example of a higher level zone, it was instant death to the current me. I had no good way to estimate the danger level either. I was really considering negative energy training right now. If I didn’t know a Sense stat was next to be unlocked from the store, I would have definitely trained to sense energy.

I stood there looking at the flesh landscape thinking about how I could use the stuff or possibly train in some way. I pulled out my sword. I kept a very loose grip on it. I was only considering this since objects had only dusted at the point of contact, not at a range.

I touched the tip of the sword to the flesh. There was no resistance and the tip of the sword just dusted. I say dusted, since what was happening looked very similar to when monsters were killed. I pulled my sword back and put it away. Time to up the ante.

“Acid Shot. Acid Shot. Acid Shot. Acid Shot. Acid Shot. Acid Shot.” I aimed near the boundary between the two landscapes. The acid was vaporized. While the regular ground melted, anything that touched the flesh was vaporized as well.

I looked around and waited, there was no reaction. I wouldn’t have considered this, but the experiment with my sword gave me some confidence and I had to know. Better to do this in a controlled manner now, than rush later.

My guess was that the flesh had an incredible amount of energy and was just noping anything that came near it. I wanted to know how well my body would stand up to that type of terrain with my stats and insanely high Spirit. Unfortunately, that meant testing my body.

I went to the edge between the two landscapes and knelt down. I slowly extended the pinkie finger on my left hand. It touched the flesh landscape. It was incredibly hard, there was no give. I quickly pulled my finger back.

I didn’t feel anything as blood dripped out of my vaporized fingertip. I focused on the technique the Astrologer had made me practice and extended my energy, using my Spirit stat, outside my body in a shell. I slowly moved my left pinkie towards the flesh landscape.

This time I felt something the moment my energy touched the flesh landscape it was ripped to shreds. Like a chainsaw grinding through everything in its path. The flesh landscape was too high level. My energy stood no chance against whatever this was. I quickly withdrew my hand and shook my hand as blood dripped off.

There was no effect of blood on the flesh landscape either. It was just something that was. Anything I did to it, didn’t matter in the slightest. The Astrologer had been wrong about something. There was no way to even get a piece to attempt consumption. But it would probably blow or melt someone if consumed.

I felt like a caveman who had found steel but had no way of working it into something useful. I looked out at the flesh landscape some more. I reached into my day pack and pulled out a 50 point crystal. I had picked up a couple and had been hesitating, but now I was curious.

I threw the crystal at the flesh landscape. The moment it touched the landscape, nothing happened to the crystal. It rolled into some flowing blood, and the blood just flowed around it. I looked at the crystal as it just sat there. I had thought it would break apart or something like everything else.

Well, I wasn’t about to make crystal equipment. The Astrologer’s warning was real. Messing with the physical structure of crystals could turn them into bombs. I remembered what happened to the Ritualist’s supply train when all those crafting crystals and point crystals had exploded.

The annihilation effect between opposite energy types was not to be underestimated. It broke through everything apparently. Where this super flesh landscape couldn’t damage a point crystal, an annihilation effect would destabilize them.

Well, there was nothing more I could really do here. I turned and left. The situation had been resolved in a way I didn’t completely understand, and I had no idea if that shard of pure energy was still out there. Well, if I couldn’t even poke the flesh landscape, I had no way of utilizing solid energy in a useful way.

It appeared that the issue was resolved for now. I would have to speak with Clarissa about possibly setting up a depot out here. But that would require people to have a 1,000 Spirit and it was a point of interest. Better to stay away from the void zones entirely. I didn’t want my people to suffer spirit corrosion. From what I had seen of Truth and Naran, it was not a good thing.

I was about to turn away. When I noticed a man racing towards me. He had over 1,000 Body, possibly 1,500 based on his movements. He was dressed in white and black. Black shirt and pants with white trim. His face was thin and in a frown, ready to strike whomever got in his way. His oriental features and outfit made me think of a martial arts master. I noted a small white oriental dragon etched onto the collar of his shirt.

I fully faced the man as he quickly closed the distance to me. “State your name and allegiance under my authority as Envoy of her most esteemed Divine Empress ruler of the West,” the man said loudly and at a distance from me.

Dammit, well, time to put on my game face. “I am Champion Michael representative of the Astrologer, ruler of the East.” I kept my face calm. I had no idea about this man’s power level, but he was probably not weak.

“A dog of that man. What do you make of this thing? A failed weapons test?” the Envoy asked, and he didn’t move from his position.

“Not a weapon’s test, an event much like the calamity. Something outside of the System itself,” I replied. I needed to be on my toes in this conversation. One misstep would be disastrous.

“No Astrologer. Only you, a weak person. Yet dare to speak here.” The Envoy was challenging my authority. I couldn’t afford to back down. Any weakness would see this man press the advantage. I also had no idea of his true combat level. While he slightly outclassed me in Body, I doubted he had my energy reserves.

I would be able to fight for a long time. Time to gamble and force the issue. “A letter from the Astrologer confirming my credentials, penned in his hand, and signed in his name.” I pulled forth the piece of paper the Astrologer had hidden in my bed frame from inside my armor. “Also, if you wish to exchange pointers, then I shall be happy to accommodate you,” I replied.

The Envoy stared at me for a bit and then held out his hand. “I will take this note. Convey this to the divine, I will with great haste.” I walked over, which was a clear power play, and put the letter in his hand. I then stood there close to the Envoy. He was about my height with beady eyes, and a very well-trimmed black beard and mustache that had just the hints of white in it.

He gave me a look for a bit, but I didn’t retreat. He then opened the letter to read it. I had already read it myself.

To Whom It May Concern,

I have appointed Champion Michael to act as one of my representatives as Ruler of the East. This letter is proof of his credentials. For I go to climb a tower and claim the prize at the top. While the calamity may have set me back slightly, I look forward to speaking to the Divine Empress in person once more. She enjoyed my last gift. I look forward to giving her another.

The Astrologer, Master of Meta-Magic

Ruler of the East

Sword of the Stars

First Seat on the Council of United City States