[Yog-Sothoth has challenged you to a Duel. Accept?]
The Duel invitation reappeared. This meant Jiang You had only one minute to talk safely. After that, if he didn't either accept the Duel or flee, his head would explode like a watermelon.
"It won't explode. I don't just cram knowledge into everyone I meet. Only those who hold the Key and seek the Truth receive such treatment. Besides, if you don't consent, I can't do anything to your memories."
Jiang You couldn't tell where the voice was coming from. Is it in my own mind?
Damn, so this is the legendary Whisper of the Old Gods? The kind that lures people step by step into the Abyss? But isn't it a bit... low-class for Bubble to use this method to lower someone's guard? Talk about losing all its cool factor.
"...Only you can block out the meaningless whispers. This world will only show you what you wish to see."
"You can hear my thoughts?"
Jiang You was now certain that Bubble possessed mind-reading abilities.
"Mind-reading is not a rare ability. Consciousness is constantly extending its tendrils outward."
Bubble's voice echoed in Jiang You's mind, clearer this time. It sounded like a man and a woman speaking in unison, or perhaps a child, a youth, a middle-aged person, and an elder all speaking at once—chaotic, yet imbued with Divinity.
"But you are different. It is only because you believe I can hear your thoughts that I am able to do so."
"..."
This attitude is way too accommodating. I wonder what the dev team was thinking. The cool factor has plummeted ridiculously.
"The dev team?"
The orb of light in the sky shifted through a spectrum of colors, as if deep in thought. Jiang You couldn't help but think, If the devs don't know how to handle a character of this caliber, they shouldn't have included one. Messing it up just makes it look ridiculous.
"If that's how you wish to see it, then it's more or less true. To you, we are nothing more than playthings. This is a dream, yet not entirely so. From the moment you arrived, everything has been under your control."
"...Is it really okay to break the fourth wall like this?"
Well, it's not an inaccurate way to describe a player, Jiang You mused, chalking it up to the dev team's quirky antics.
"This wall was destined to be broken sooner or later."
Bubble's voice took on a profound tone. "Before this world crumbles completely, I must take action. To me, you represent the 'Unknown'—information that even I cannot record. Such a thing has not appeared in hundreds of billions of years. It would be a pity if it were to end here. That is why I have come."
"What do you mean?"
Jiang You couldn't grasp Bubble's meaning. Why go through all this cryptic trouble? Making Bubble a riddle-spouting enigma is just pulling me out of the experience.
"You've jumped to conclusions about certain things. Until you confirm them for yourself, it's not my place to reveal the puzzle's solution."
Bubble's sphere continuously split apart and merged back together. For some reason, Jiang You sensed a feeling of excitement emanating from the process.
"Once you've confirmed it, everything will become clear. As for me, I'm merely here to serve as your newbie tutorial."
"Huh?"
The words "newbie tutorial" made Jiang You's mind go blank for a moment. He'd been complaining nonstop about the game's terrible guidance, but was it really okay to have a Great God like Yog-Sothoth handle the tutorial?
"On the contrary, only I could do it."
Initially, Bubble had suspected Jiang You might be an avatar of her senile Father. If that were true, a sapient avatar would have been an irresistible temptation. She would have paid any price just to meet it. In this universe, there were very few things she couldn't perceive; the only complete mystery was her Father God, Azathoth.
Of course, now there was another. The only thing she could be certain of was that Jiang You's Conceptual Rank was even higher than Azathoth's. The moment he appeared, Azathoth's Authority had been completely overwritten.
"Aren't you confused about your own existence? Now, I can give you the answer."
"You're the one telling me this?"
Jiang You had been curious about his own identity for a long time. Just what kind of Heroic Spirit's Spirit Origin did the dev team mash up for the player?
"Who is it?"
"You should have already guessed."
Bubble needed to prepare an anchor for Jiang You, a way for him to gradually familiarize himself with his true Authority before he fully realized the truth. Though this anchor was utterly absurd to every living being in this universe.
"The Blind Idiot God—Azathoth!"
"Wait, hold on a second."
While this explained Bubble's attitude toward him, was Azathoth really something that could be casually mashed into a Spirit Origin? Jiang You couldn't quite accept it. He glanced at his Parameters again—this pathetic stat block is supposed to be Azathoth?
"You still don't understand your true abilities. Heroic Spirits always conceal their True Names. Until their names are fully revealed, even their true Noble Phantasms remain hidden. Isn't this something you're already used to?"
Hearing this, Jiang You instantly understood that Bubble was roasting the mechanics of Fate/Grand Order's Part 2. Compared to Part 1, where you could deduce a Servant's True Name from their appearance and traits, Part 2 had gone completely off the rails. Spirit Origin mashups were just the beginning; even people you knew could use your Spirit Origin to stand in for you. This made it impossible to identify a Servant based on their Noble Phantasms or characteristics.
"Good point..."
Jiang You had to admit Bubble was right.
"So, I've come to serve as your tutorial. Here is your mission reward."
Bubble was even acting like the System now.
[Unique Skill: Blind Idiot EX has been acquired. Servant Parameters have been updated.]
Jiang You checked his Parameters. He had indeed obtained the Unique Skill, but its effect was unclear. Just looking at the name felt like an insult.
"Its specific effect is immunity to all negative status effects."
Bubble, hearing Jiang You's thoughts, provided an explanation.
"It also grants absolute dominance against Foreigner-class Servants. In FGO terms, it's roughly equivalent to a +10,000% Special Attack bonus."
"Wouldn't a 100x damage multiplier completely break the game balance?"
Jiang You couldn't help but complain. What kind of broken setting is this?
"Technically, it's a 101x damage multiplier. And does that game even have balance to begin with?"
Bubble retorted.
"Fair enough..."
Jiang You was speechless. Some characters had received model updates three or four times, while others were still stuck with their ancient, outdated models after years. The same went for Strengthening Quests. This damn game is doomed, he thought.
"To give you a more direct understanding of your abilities, let's Duel."
The ball of light representing Bubble began to coalesce. "Playing cards in this form is a bit inconvenient. I'll take on a more suitable appearance."