Chương 3: Chapter 3: Greetings, Transmigrator
In an old wooden house with only a single room, a coarse bed lays in the corner as the sun lit up the room through the window. Pecks of dust danced turbulently through the air as they glister brightly under the pillar of sunlight.
Slowly, a miniscule dust lightly drifts towards the bed and lands on the skin of a deeply slumbering fair and thin young man. The sun lit up his face golden but he still remained asleep, as if in a deep dream.
There were almost no movements in his body, and even his heartbeat was still. The world seemed frozen in time.
When suddenly, an androgynous voice called out to him, causing the young man to inhale deeply like a person saved from drowning.
⟨Wake up.⟩
The voice said. The voice was soft, but the moment it entered his ears, he felt like his soul was tugged.
With eyes wide open, the young man sat up, surprised. His mind went chaotic for an unknown reason and he couldn't think of anything.
He doesn't know if he should either respond to the voice, think of what happened in the past, or to observe his surroundings. Logically, he should first respond to the voice. However, a part of him said to recall the past first, like there was something dangerous that had occured in the past. His heart was in disarray.
However, before he even got to think, an illusory and shapeless image appeared before him. It looked like a milky fog swirling around. It was decorated with small specks of light that looked like stars, as if a galaxy of its own.
⟨Greetings, transmigrator. Welcome to another world.⟩
Telepathically greeted by the unknown object. There wasn't an ounce of emotion in the voice, and it sounded androgynous.
The two looked at each other and time seemed to have stopped.
…There wasn't anything special about the weather— it was clear and calm. Just like every day, the sun set as it used to and the breeze was calm as usual. But right now, under those everyday episodes, an unthinkable event occurred that bound the fate of the two, intertwining their destinies, and causing chaos in their path.
Even though the system's body doesn't have eyes, it can sense its surroundings with its energy. And using this, it gazed at the young man in front of it and observed him.
⟨… Target located...⟩
⟨… Initiating Scan ...⟩
⟨… Target does not possess an above average muscle density or mass.⟩
⟨...Target does not possess an above average thought generation speed.⟩
⟨… Target does not have any special mutation.⟩
⟨… Target possess senses sharper than normal.⟩
⟨… Target possesses a facial structure deemed as attractive based on human aesthetic.)
⟨Conclusion: Target is… too average..⟩
The system was dismayed at the results.
At first, the system knew that the host was gonna be weak and it wasn't really bothered because everything can be changed, be it powers or attitude. It's just that... When the system compares its own powers to its host, the difference is more than just heaven and earth. It can't even be compared to the difference between a god and a microorganism.
⟨Continue signing the contract? Yes or no?⟩
The system asked itself, but after considering the rarity of transmigrators, it eventually perdured.
The system gazed at the young man, waiting for a response, and after 5 seconds, it got what it was waiting for.
A light streaked in the young man's eyes as he squinted his eyes. Suddenly, he looked around curiously and he frowned, seemingly thinking of something.
However, 5 seconds passed and nothing had changed. It was still silent all over.
The system was baffled at his actions. A mysterious entity was in front of him, looking like a god and whatnot, yet you just ignored it. Is this system a joke to him?
And as if he gave up, the young man suddenly looked at the system with his pupils shaking, obviously laced with fear.
A weak and stuttering voice came out of his mouth and asked, "W— Who are you‽ D— did you just… talk to my… mind? A— and… did you just say… another world? What do you mean?"
The system was even more befuddled at his actions. After all, it was too unusual, so it even considered reading the young man's mind to know his true intent. Unfortunately, it was not allowed to.
One of the requirements to sign a contract was for the system to respect the host's privacy. Of course, this may not apply to all the systems, but that was what its creator demanded.
Helpless, the system could only follow the young man's lead.
⟨Answering your second question: Yes, I am doing just as what you humans call "telepathy".⟩
⟨Answering your first question: I am the Reality Seeker System. I am here to sign a contract with you, the transmigrator, with you as the host and me being the system.⟩
⟨Answering your third question: You are transmigrated to this universe— to another world.⟩
⟨Do you have further questions? If not, would you sign a contract with me?⟩
The system patiently explained one by one and asked in the end. All of this was once again done telepathically.
The young man paused for a moment after listening. His face still showed a shocked and scared reaction but his unfocused eyes betrayed his display.
He seemed to be intently thinking about something, and after half a second, his eyes focused back and with his voice loud and seething with anger, he said: "All of this tricks… these telepathy, mysterious-looking entity, and random place… they are just for me to agree sign a contract with you, am I right‽ You just want to trick me into signing a contract, right? Tell me! Where am I‽ What do you want from me‽ I don't believe any of your lies!"
At this point, the system finally realised what the young man was doing, but to further confirm its claim, it scanned the young man's body, and what it found further strengthened its findings.
⟨Host doesn't need to act. This system is willing to answer your questions.⟩
The system suddenly said, which shocked the young man.
"W—W… what do you mean?" Stuttered the young man.
⟨Host's heart rate is within normal resting human heart rate.⟩
⟨Host's pupil didn't dilate nor change size despite the intense shaking.⟩
⟨Host's body shivers' movement pattern is regular and still can maintain stability.⟩
⟨Host's breathing is deep but unobstructed and shows no sign of irregularities.⟩
⟨Conclusion: Host is in no state of fear.⟩
The system telepathically said to the young man, exposing his lies. To the system's amazement, however, the young man didn't rebuke nor get angry, but instead, the young man only widened his eyes in surprise and said: "Wow. This dream can even read my thoughts. I never had a dream like this."
A moment after hearing this, the system felt even more confused, but with the help of its information processor, the system understood what the young man was talking about.
⟨Confirmation. Host, you are currently NOT in a dream.⟩
The system advised mechanically with a hint of sternness, just like teaching a child.
"Huh?"
Hearing this, the young man temporarily stopped talking. After a moment of confusion, after the realisation sank in, he started closing his eyes and suddenly opening, as if trying to wake up.
"That can't possibly be true."
He did this multiple times until a befuddled and anxious expression surfaced in his face. His eyes were left wide open staring at the system's body in amazement and… emptiness.
"Why can't I… feel my sleeping body…?" Once again, the young man desperately tried to 'wake up' in an attempt to dissuade what's in front of him. After all, some dreams are so realistic that no one would even think of them as dreams. But every person who had lucid dreams could feel their body while sleeping. However, no matter how much he attempted to, the young man couldn't 'wake up'.
With no results, the young man could only hold into his last rope. He stared at the system and loudly asked: "If this is reality, where did you bring me‽ Bring me back to my home!"
Demanded the young man angrily, but behind that demanding tone is a face plastered with panic.
Just as the system was about to answer, footsteps came rushing in and the door suddenly opened with a rusty wooden sound.
*Bang!* *Creak* *Footsteps*
An old lady came rushing in and hurried towards the young man. She accidentally bumped into the system's body but she only passed through it and she didn't even bat an eye, as if only passing through air.
The young man witnesses this scene with eyes wide open, but seeing her rushing towards him, the young man quickly took it off his mind, instinctively looked on the wooden floor, stuck his body close to him, and removed any expressions in his face until it was blank.
"Toppeh! Why are you up‽ Are you okay? I heard you screaming, so I got worried and immediately hurried in. What happened?" The old lady asked rapidly. Her voice sounded mature and it was a bit husky, but the obvious thing in her voice was the irregular shaking, as if she was panicking from worry.
In addition, the language she used was quite foreign to him, but he still unconsciously understood it, and even spoke in it fluently.
"I— I'm sorry…?" Toppeh blurted out with his eyes open wide, shocked.
"What are you apologizing for?" The old lady asked.
Meanwhile, seeing the sweat on Toppeh's forehead, the old woman quickly reached out for a towel on her and wiped his forehead and back. It was obvious from how he flinched that she was a bit rough, but the care was obvious with how she didn't leave a single spot unwiped.
"Geez, look at you. You're sweating so much and your temperature's low. Just sit here and I'll get you some water." The old lady made him sit down on the bed and she ran out like the wind.
… Toppeh stared at the left open door quietly.
The system watched him get confused by the woman's reaction. It was not until 1 minute later that his confusion finally settled in and he had the time to look around.
"You… Why… didn't she react when she bumped into you? Are you… in...visible?" Toppeh asked in confusion as he was reminded of what happened after his eyes landed on the orbiting lights and dust of the system's body.
⟨Answer: I can turn into a visible or invisible object at will. This also includes exempting you or others from being able to see me.⟩
The system elaborated.
… Toppeh frowned in silence seeing how calm and nonchalant the system answered. It was as if the system knew that it was above the others, but it was as if it being above the others was only natural to happen. The system seemed unworldly to him. It was as if it was…. a god.
Unbothered. Untouchable.
…
"Where... am I?" Toppeh finally asked calmly after what seemed like a long time of unnerving silence.
This question was already thrown twice, and using the system's heightened thought processor, it knew better how to answer the question.
⟨Look outside the window.⟩
Toppeh did just what the system said, and it was then that he finally believed that he was actually in a different… place.
Outside the window, the blue sky with a tone of yellow extended towards the unending horizon, unblocked. Underneath the sky was a village full of houses made of wood and stones. Villagers donned in simple and old clothes bustled in and outside the houses, each minding their own businesses.
His eyes kept looking around and his pupils were shaking, but this time, there was no pattern.
"Why… am I here?" Muttered Toppeh shakily under his breath while observing the foreign villagers and land.
⟨Host, please recall yesterday's event.⟩
"Yesterday's… event?" Toppeh frowned and thought.
*Thud*
Suddenly, Toppeh's forehead started to sweat and he lost his balance from the intense shaking of his legs.
"Aaaargh!" Toppeh painfully screams while clutching his hair and rolling on the floor. His eyes were tight shut and his teeth were grinding against each other in an attempt to ease the pain.
His scream went on until he was soaking wet from the pool of his sweat and heavily breathing. He weakly looked up to the system and begrudgingly asked: "Why… *cough*... didn't you... warn me?"
⟨Unnecessary. This level of pain is not enough to kill an average healthy human.⟩
"Still… shouldn't you warn me, at least‽ It hurts so freaking much, you know! *Cough!*" Toppeh rebuked weakly.
Seeing no response, Toppeh rolled his eyes and stabilized his breathing.
"What were those?" Toppeh once more asked after catching his breath.
⟨Please elaborate.⟩
"What… were those... shiny lights in my memories? Like… passing through or something… What happened to me? And… why does it hurt when I… try to remember it?" Toppeh asked with an expression of pain in his face.
⟨Host's previous reality accidentally crashed.⟩
The system answered.
"My reality… crashed‽" Toppeh repeated in befuddlement.
"How does reality even crash?" Toppeh asked disbelievingly.
⟨...Answer: Not only is Space and Time incomplete, it is also expanding. This makes it easy for cracks to appear and for reality to crash. One of the most dangerous reality-crash occurred near you, which pulled you in and pushed you to another dimension. Just as you were drifting in the Chaos, your body slowly disintegrated. But you were luckily pulled into one of the nearby universes and was saved just in time.⟩
After the lengthy explanation, Toppeh nodded and sank into a contemplation.
…
After a long time of thinking, Toppeh finally asked the billion dollar question. "... What ...do you want from me …?"
⟨For you to agree and sign a contract with you as the host and I as your system.⟩
The system said straight up. Without a single pause or a change in tone.
"System?" Toppeh asked.
⟨Yes. A System.⟩
Just as Toppeh wanted an elaboration, footsteps suddenly resounded behind the doorstep and he looked at the source with utmost caution.
*Creak…*
The door slowly opened and the old lady from the previous time slowly entered. In her hands was a kettle and on the other hand was a cup.
"Why are you looking at me like that? You're like a mouse seeing a cat." The old lady observed.
Hearing this, Toppeh quickly looked down.
"... Y…. You've been more docile lately… something wrong?" The old lady realized something was wrong, so she immediately put down the items in her hand to the table nearby and checked Toppeh's condition.
"You're sticky! You're sweating heavily! Again!" The old lady exclaimed in shock. Immediately, she grabbed the towel on her and carefully dried his body.
"Remove your clothes." Said the old lady, which made Toppeh slightly flinch.
Seeing Toppeh doing nothing, the old lady got impatient and removed the clothes herself.
"Geez! Look at your clothes! So dirty, sticky, and wet! Why don't you want to remove and change clothes? Go change!" The old lady ordered as she carefully folded his clothes.
Toppeh only awkwardly stood in the middle of the room silently without looking away from the floor.
"Why don't you want to change, huh? I said, ''Go change''!" Said the old lady as she darted across the room, picked a cloth from the drawer, and threw into Toppeh's face.
Seeing the clothes, Toppeh quickly wore it. Ignoring the small trouble he had because of the difference in usual clothing, he successfully changed clothes.
"Geez, do you even learn? How are you going to the "Hundred Mountains Sect" with that brain, huh?" Mocked the old lady before pouring him a cup of water.
"Drink." Toppeh hesitantly drank the cup of warm water. He forced it down his throat and finished all of it.
"... What's up with you? Why are you so quiet? You used to go jump in excitement every time I mentioned the "Hundred Mountain Sect"." The old lady looked worriedly at Toppeh.
Toppeh opened his mouth, but closed it back again. All while never looking away from the floor.
*Sigh* "I'm never getting through that thick skull of yours. Whatever, since you can stand just fine, it must mean you're okay, so do what you want. Stay here or play outside. Whatever." The old lady picked up the pitcher and the cup before going outside. She looked really annoyed and tired.
*Creak…* *Thud*
Toppeh looked at the shut door in silence. No one knew what he was thinking.
…
After some time, he finally looked back to the system and continued asking questions.
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