Sobin was stunned!
However, it only lasted a moment. After all, he had just been transmigrated to another world after a fatal accident, and he also got the aid of a System that showed him multiple Quests to complete before returning home.
The entire development almost felt like a video game, or some generic transmigration novel his wife would read.
After experiencing all these things, a talking car suddenly didn't seem like that big a deal.
At least… not anymore.
"Bessie? You can communicate with me? Since when?" Sobin asked, trying to understand how his truck had suddenly gained sentience.
"I also don't fully understand, Master." Bessie, the truck, answered honestly. "But I have the memories of all our deliveries together. You never abandoned me or sold me, and you always took good care of me."
Sobin made a wry smile as he heard those words.
Good old Bessie was his first truck, and he had become so attached to the vehicle that he never bought another, despite earning enough to do so and having several other incentives. His colleagues had told him several times to change Bessie for a newer, more modern truck… but he simply couldn't bring himself to do it.
The only person who understood his feelings was his sugarplum.
She knew of his sentimental attachments to Bessie and told him that he didn't have to listen to anyone else when it came to his truck. She even went as far as using the name "Bessie" whenever she referred to the truck.
Not only was she considerate of his feelings, but she also grew attached to Bessie herself, though in a way one might consider unhealthy.
'She used to call Bessie a Legendary Class Steed… one with unimaginable power to shatter worlds and devastate realities." Sobin couldn't help but leak out a warm smile. 'I really wish you were here to see this, sugarplum.'
"You are my one and only Master, and I will forever be loyal to you. It is an honor to serve you in this world." Bessie announced emphatically, her voice ringing loudly as the truck engine roared.
Sobin smiled even more.
Even though his wife wasn't here with him, at the very least, he had a companion in this world.
"Can you explain this whole thing to me, System?"
[Sure thing, Sobin. Just as you possess incredible otherworldly energy, your truck here also possesses the same—enough to destabilize the fabric of this world's reality. That excess amount of energy must have resonated with its footprints and awakened a pseudo consciousness within it, giving it a personality akin to a living entity.]
"So… is it like you, then?" He went on to ask.
[W-what? No way! As powerful as the truck is, how can you compare such an entity to a sophisticated System like me?]
"Hey! That's rude!" Bessie quickly complained, with Sobin nodding in agreement.
[Whatever! It's the truth. Sigh… in any case, the truck is bound to you and can be regarded as a tamed beast. Think of it like a pet of some sort. As for me, I am more like a partner. If we were a family, I'd have the same status as the wife]
"Hey…" Sobin's voice went dangerously low, his eyes narrowing to form a sharp glint as he spoke with utmost seriousness. "Take that back right now. No one compares to my sugarplum… no one."
[Okay… fine. But you get the idea.]
The annoyance on his face dissipated mildly, but he was still in a bad mood.
"I do."
After a moment of awkward silence in the vehicle, Sobin shrugged aside his annoyance and let his lips curl up in excitement. "I'm in a new world, with Bessie and a System. Why don't I see what else awaits me here?!"
"YES, MASTEERRR!!!"
[So you've accepted the Registration Quest, right? Transferring relevant information to you now…]
In a flash of inspiration, Sobin immediately got the image and location of the Registration Office implanted in his head. Furthermore, his Truck's GPS was updated, and it had a "lock on" on the place they had to go.
"Looks like it's a few hours from here. Wow… we really ended up out in the boonies, didn't we?" Sobin laughed a little before placing one hand on the wheel while using the other to switch gears. "You ready for a spin, Bessie?"
"Yes, Master!"
Without wasting any time, Sobin hit the 'Gas' pedal and thrust his truck forward into the desolate street of the dark world around him. It didn't take very long before a silhouette suddenly appeared before his vehicle.
It was massive and grotesque, though its heavy growls were drowned by Sobin's shouts and Bessie's roaring engine.
[System Warning]
{You have encountered a Monster (Rank A), please tread with caution—}
"Outta my way!" Sobin's feet pressed on the pedal as the truck's speed rose drastically. It easily closed the distance between them.
Then—
BAM!
The truck slammed its massive body against the slightly larger creature. Strangely enough, it was the Monster who got destroyed.
Its entire body exploded upon impact, turning into gooey blood and flesh.
"Wooohooooo!!!" Sobin screamed with delight as he kept accelerating. "Let's do that again!"
"This is so much fun, Master!"
[You have finished a Chain Quest, resulting in the completion of 49,999 other Quests]
"Seriously?!" Sobin was startled. "Just like that?! Wow… you were right, System. If it's this easy to complete Quests, then I should really be out in no time if I work hard enough."
"You can do it, Master! Weak Monsters like that don't stand a chance!" Bessie added with a roaring laugh.
[That was a Rank A Monster, though…]
Sobin ignored the System's words and began cruising through the devastated landscape. He encountered a few more Monsters: mostly Rank Bs, As, and even occasional Rank S entities.
The latter caused a bit of turbulence when they were hit, but they still perished regardless.
Nothing stood in Sobin's path and survived!
[Total Number of Quests: 970,001,234]
**************
[Meanwhile…]
In a large meeting room, all the leaders of Sector E gathered to discuss an urgent matter.
Ever since the Apocalypse that devastated the world several decades ago, mankind had struggled to adapt, and they finally did. A lot changed during that period, as the world became unified under a single leadership known as the United Government.
Civilization was also divided into twelve sectors—from A to L, with each sector having a hundred zones numbered 0-99. Not all zones were habitable, but the ones that were had their respective leaders.
And so, in Sector E, the dozens of leaders were gathered around a massive table.
They all had pale expressions on their faces, and the cause of all their worries dwelt in the image on their projected screen.
"We just received word from Headquarters. The Interdimensional Summoning project failed once again. A singularity almost occurred this time, so they're going back to the drawing board and won't attempt it anytime soon. Which means… we currently have very little hope to deal with our present predicament."
Everyone gulped the moment they heard those words.
Their eyes were fixed on the large screen in the room, and it showed a captured image of a particular Monster. It was colossal, having six arms and several tentacle-like appendages behind it.
Gooey liquid dripped from its wide-open maw, and acidic fog floated around its body.
This was none other than the Deepcrawler King—Number 23 on the Apex Monster Index.
An S Rank monstrosity!