The void of space stretched endlessly before me, as I scoured the multiverse, sifting through trillions of realities. The Citadel was behind me, and my former base, once a sanctuary of research and experimentation, was no longer viable. Rick had found it, and that alone meant it was tainted. No matter how fortified it was, no matter how many traps I had laid, it was useless now.
I needed something new.
I had spent weeks, perhaps even months, running through the multiverse, searching for a place untouched by the chaos that plagued it. A universe outside the radar of the Citadel, of Rick, of Evil Morty, of anyone, really. The multiverse is vast, far beyond the comprehension of even the greatest minds, but I had become something different, something more. And now, my mind worked like a finely-tuned machine, rapidly narrowing down the parameters for what I needed.
My fingers flew across the control panel as I discarded universe after universe. Too unstable. Too dangerous. Too close to the Citadel's influence. I needed a place that was completely off the grid, where the multiverse's tendrils hadn't sunk their claws.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I found it.
Dimension PR-357.
The records were sparse, almost non-existent, which was exactly what I had hoped for. A universe so insignificant, so devoid of interdimensional interference, that it had been overlooked by everyone. There were no Ricks, no Mortys, no Jerrys, no interdimensional travelers wreaking havoc. It was a normal universe, the kind that existed in complete isolation from the madness that surrounded it.
I pulled up the readings, scanning the universe carefully. Earth existed there, just as it did in countless other dimensions. But this Earth was different. The people there lived mundane, ordinary lives. No portal guns, no technology beyond their time, no knowledge of the multiverse or the chaos that swirled outside their borders. It was untouched, a blank canvas.
It was perfect.
With a few final adjustments, I set a course for Dimension PR-357. The ship hummed as it powered up, preparing for the journey. I leaned back in my chair, satisfied. This would be my new base of operations, a place where I could build something entirely new. Something free of the interference of Ricks and Mortys.
The ship slipped into the dimensional fold, cutting through the fabric of the multiverse like a blade. The journey was seamless, taking mere moments as we breached the borders of PR-357. The moment we arrived, I could feel it. The quiet. The calm. There were no signatures here, no traces of interdimensional technology, no beacons or anomalies that could be tracked by the Citadel or anyone else.
It was as if I had stepped into a forgotten corner of existence, a place where the multiverse's influence had never touched.
I hovered above the Earth, my ship cloaked in orbit, watching the world below. It was identical to the Earth I had left behind, at least in appearance. The same continents, the same oceans, the same atmosphere. But there was something peaceful about it, something serene. These people had no idea what existed beyond their own skies. They were blissfully unaware of the wars, the chaos, the struggle for power that consumed the rest of the multiverse.
And that's what made them perfect.
I brought up the control panel, finalizing the details of my plan. I wasn't here to dominate them outright, to impose my will with force. No, that wasn't necessary. I had something far more subtle in mind. I had evolved into something greater, and now, it was time to spread that evolution to others. Slowly, methodically, I would guide this Earth to ascend to the next level of existence.
But they wouldn't even know it was happening.
With the ship hovering in orbit, I initiated the next phase. I had designed a system, a perfect blend of technology, biology, and multiversal energy, that would gradually awaken the people of this Earth. It would manifest as something simple, something they could understand: a 'system.' A series of challenges and rewards that would push them to evolve, step by step, toward becoming like me, the Primoris Sapiens.
The system would appear to them as a game at first, something fun, something challenging. But as they grew stronger, smarter, more capable, they would slowly realize the truth. They were evolving. They were becoming something greater.
And I would be there to control every step of their progress.
I brought up the final command, activating the system. A web of invisible energy spread out from the ship, wrapping itself around the planet like a blanket. It was subtle, undetectable, but it would soon begin to integrate into their lives, altering the very fabric of their reality. The system would present itself to them as a gift, but in truth, it was a leash. They would grow stronger, but they would never surpass me. I had made sure of that.
As the energy web spread across the Earth, I watched from above, a satisfied smirk playing on my lips. The humans below had no idea what was happening, no idea that their world had just changed forever.
I set the ship into autopilot, allowing it to maintain its cloaked position above the Earth. There was nothing left for me to do now but wait. The system would take care of the rest.
....
One Month Later
The streets of New York bustled with life as people went about their daily routines. Cars honked in the distance, the faint hum of city life filling the air as pedestrians rushed to and from their destinations. For most, it was just another day.
Tom Carter was one of those people. Another ordinary man in an ordinary world, caught up in the mundanity of life. He adjusted his tie as he walked down the street, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of work and the bills that needed paying. Life was simple, repetitive, but it was predictable. And that was something he appreciated.
He took his usual route through the park, his mind drifting as he scrolled through his phone. Nothing exciting in the news today. Just the same old political drama, sports updates, and celebrity scandals.
As he walked, something strange happened. His vision blurred for a split second, and when it cleared, a panel appeared before his eyes. A translucent screen floating in midair, glowing softly with an ethereal light.
Tom blinked, startled. He reached out instinctively, but his hand passed through the screen as though it wasn't really there.
"What the…?" he muttered, looking around. No one else seemed to notice. People walked by, completely unaware of the strange panel in front of him. He looked back at the screen, and his heart skipped a beat as words appeared, glowing softly.
[Congratulations! The Earth has awakened!]
He stared at the words, confusion swirling in his mind. Awakened? What did that mean? He looked around again, but no one else seemed to notice. It was as if this screen, this message, was meant just for him. But that didn't make any sense.
Then, more words appeared.
[Welcome to the System. Your journey begins now.]
Tom's heart raced. A system? Journey? What was this? Was it some kind of elaborate prank? But even as he thought that, he could feel something… different. There was a strange warmth spreading through his body, like energy coursing through his veins. His mind raced, trying to make sense of what was happening.
Before he could process it, another message appeared.
[Task: Begin your first challenge. Complete it to gain access to new abilities.]
Abilities? Tasks? This was crazy. He looked around, hoping for some kind of explanation, but the world around him remained unchanged. People went about their business, oblivious to the fact that everything had just changed.
Tom swallowed hard, his pulse quickening. He didn't know what was happening, but one thing was clear: life as he knew it was no longer the same.
And somehow, deep down, he knew that this was just the beginning.
----
End of the first arc. I spent a lot of time thinking about how to wrap this up and plan the next steps, and ultimately, I chose this direction. Now, we'll see if it was the right call.
My team and I are already gearing up to start working on the next arc. If you want to stay updated on our progress, consider subscribing as a free member on Patreon for all the latest news and updates!
Thank you all for your continued support!
----
This at the top was the old message, but after taking two weeks thinking, i kinda want to change it, advice?
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Entendi
Capítulo 28: Chapter 27: Into the Shadows
The command center of the Citadel was abuzz with activity. Ricks, Mortys, and the few remaining members of the council were gathered around massive screens, projecting star maps, energy readings, and any possible leads on Jerry's whereabouts. At the center of it all stood me and Evil Morty, our new, uneasy partnership now the key to stopping the one thing that no one saw coming, Jerry.
Evil Morty leaned over the main console, his fingers flying across the keys, entering commands, and analyzing data faster than most Ricks could keep up with. Around him, his loyalists watched in quiet awe. They had never seen their leader working alongside a Rick, much less Rick C-137, but here we were.
"Gather everyone," Evil Morty commanded one of his Mortys, his voice cold and sharp. "We need every resource at our disposal if we're going to find Jerry."
The Morty nodded and ran off, leaving us with the bustling energy of the Citadel's brightest minds.
I stood back for a moment, letting my eyes roam the room. The Citadel may have been through hell, but it was still one of the most powerful centers in the multiverse. If anyone could find Jerry, it was us. But there was one problem, we had no leads.
"You're thinking the same thing I am, huhhhp," I muttered, walking up to the console. "If Jerry really went through all this trouble to evolve into, huhhhp, whatever he is now, he's not leaving anything behind for us to track him with."
Evil Morty glanced up at me, his expression hard. "He planned this. He knew we'd come for him, and he erased his presence. Every trace."
I nodded, crossing my arms. "Huhhhp, every time we think we've got a lead, huhhhp, it just turns to dust. No energy readings, no portal signatures. He's not in any dimension we've scanned so far."
"That's the problem," Evil Morty said, his eyes narrowing. "He's not in any dimension we know. He's somewhere… else. And the only way he got there is because he's evolved past us. We're not tracking Jerry anymore. We're chasing a ghost."
It wasn't an exaggeration. All of our scans, all of our efforts to pinpoint Jerry's location had come up empty. He had disappeared, and not just from our dimension. There were no footprints, no residual energy signatures. Nothing. It was as if Jerry had erased himself from the multiverse.
A Morty technician approached us, his face pale. "Sirs, we've found something."
I looked over at the technician. "What've you got?"
"Jerry's base. Or what's left of it."
Evil Morty and I exchanged a glance before following the Morty to one of the central screens. The feed showed a desolate landscape, the charred remains of Jerry's lab in Dimension QZ-819. Smoke still curled from the ground, the wreckage barely recognizable as the place where Jerry had held us both.
"Auto-destruction," Evil Morty muttered, analyzing the scene. "He rigged it to blow the moment he left."
I stared at the ruined base, my mind working through the implications. Jerry wasn't just one step ahead, he was miles ahead. He had anticipated everything. The second he captured me and Morty, he must have known the Citadel would come after him. This destruction was deliberate, calculated.
"Smart bastard," I admitted grudgingly. "He's covering every base, huhhhp, no pun intended."
Evil Morty's eyes scanned the data on the screen. "Nothing survived the blast. No materials, no tech, no clues. It's a dead end."
The room fell into a heavy silence. We had mobilized the entire Citadel, united its people to track down Jerry, and now we were at a standstill.
"We're missing something," I muttered, my mind racing. "There's gotta be something he left behind, huhhhp, something he overlooked."
But as I said it, I knew it wasn't true. Jerry had evolved. He wasn't playing by our rules anymore.
Evil Morty turned to address the gathered Ricks and Mortys. "We continue the search. Every dimension, every anomaly, every trace of energy out there. I want it all analyzed. Keep every portal monitored. If Jerry makes a move, we'll find him."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the room, but I could sense the uncertainty in the air. Jerry had vanished, and no one knew where to begin looking.
I caught Evil Morty's gaze. "Even if we find him, huhhhp, how do we stop someone who's, huhhhp, two steps ahead of every move we make?"
Evil Morty's expression darkened. "We do what we do best, Rick. We outthink him."
....
I sat back in my chair, the image of Rick C-137 and Evil Morty working together playing out in front of me on the screen. They looked desperate, scrambling for answers, while Jerry, freakin' Jerry, was off somewhere, way beyond their grasp.
4I took a slow sip of my drink, the taste of victory already on my tongue. I had to admit, watching them struggle like this was almost too good.
"Well, look at you," I muttered to myself, a grin spreading across my face. "The two biggest egos in the multiverse, forced to play nice. And for what? To chase after Jerry of all people."
1I switched the feed, zooming in on the wreckage of Jerry's base. Nothing left. Not a trace. Even I had to give him credit for that. He'd planned his escape perfectly, leaving no breadcrumbs for anyone to follow.
Not even me.
I leaned forward, studying the readouts from the Citadel's best techs. They were good, but not good enough to find Jerry. No one was. Hell, even my systems, the best in the multiverse, couldn't track him. And that's what made this fun.
Because while Rick C-137 and Evil Morty were busy trying to piece together the mystery, I already knew the truth.
Jerry had ascended. He wasn't a threat because he was smart. He was a threat because he was beyond that now. Beyond Rick. Beyond Morty. Beyond everything.
And that? That was worth watching.
I switched off the feed, turning my attention back to my own work. There were still things I needed to finish. Other matters that required my attention. But I'd keep an eye on this little game they were playing. See how it unfolded.
Maybe I'd step in later. Or maybe I wouldn't.
5Either way, this was only the beginning.