"Devour… hmmm… so this is the key." My faceless head tilted slightly, confusion still clouding my thoughts.
"Devour… huh. I think I'm starting to grasp what this System wants."
Before I could dwell on it, a bright notification flickered in front of me:
"System Notification: The War has begun."
"War? Begun? Where?" I scanned the barren plains, but nothing stirred. My voice echoed hollowly in the dead world. I guess this System is… broken? I muttered, rubbing my head. "Ah, forget it. I'll just explore again."
Almost immediately, another notification appeared:
[System Notification]
New Feature Unlocked!
World Observation
You may now view realms beyond your own.
Witness events unfolding in distant worlds.
Interference is not possible at your current state.
"So… I can see other worlds?" I muttered. My mind raced. "Okay… let's try it."
I opened the feature, and a list of worlds appeared before me:
World Selection
Nyvros – Dark plains with glowing crystal rocks. Endless nights and drifting mist.
Solthera – Hot desert world with rolling dunes. Ancient ruins buried in the sand.
Auralis – Highland world with cliffs and open skies. Sparse forests and grasslands.
Obryn – Barren wasteland with cracked earth and dead trees. Silent ruins scattered across.
Lunara – Forest world under eternal moonlight. Glowing rivers wind through tall trees.
Crythil – Frozen world of snow, ice, and harsh winds. Icy mountains and frozen lakes dominate.
Pyroxis – Volcanic world with lava flows and ash. Rivers of molten rock cut through black stone.
"So many… worlds," I whispered, scrolling through each description carefully. "Interesting…"
I selected the first one, Nyvros. A rift opened before me, swirling like a black vortex, pulling me in. I felt my body dragged through space, then landed gently.
Nyvros was breathtaking in its own haunting way.
Endless dark plains stretched to the horizon. Faintly glowing crystal rocks dotted the valleys, casting pale blue light over drifting mists. Distant mountains loomed, silhouetted against a sky with no sun or stars. Shadows moved subtly, hinting at creatures hidden within the mist.
"Interesting…" I murmured, hovering above the plains. As I experimented, I discovered I could float and fly, but not touch anything. Ah… so that's what the System meant by "Interference is not possible at your current state."
I spent hours observing, exploring, learning. The world was alive with creatures unlike anything I had seen before: massive beasts roaming freely, enormous flying monsters, and humanoids that looked like a twisted fusion of wolf and man.
Then, something caught my attention.
A small child humanoid, lean and wiry, ran desperately across the plains. Behind them, a massive beast charged. Its tusks gleamed, and its eyes were fixed on the child like a predator locking onto prey.
I focused my System on the child. A glowing character sheet appeared:
Character Sheet
Name: ?
Race: Dark Troll
Level: 1
Status: Humanoid Monster
Core Stats
Strength: 6
Physical Attack: Powerful melee strikes with claws or fists
Physical Armor: Thick skin resists normal weapons
Intelligence: 2
Ability Attack: [None]
Ability Armor: Limited magical resistance
Agility: 3
Movement Speed: Slow to moderate; can lunge quickly in combat
Skills
Skill Set: [None]
Passive Skills: [Regeneration, Enhanced Strength]
Exclusive Skills: [None]
"A Dark Troll?" I muttered, observing its gray, rough-textured skin, clawed hands, red glowing eyes, and wiry build. The child screamed for help, begging the gods, but the world remained silent.
Then I turned my gaze to the beast, a massive, boar-like creature. Another character sheet appeared:
Character Sheet
Name: Thornback
Race: Beast (Boar)
Level: 1
Status: Wild Creature
Core Stats
Strength: 5
Physical Attack: Tusks, charges, and bites
Physical Armor: Thick hide and bristly fur
Intelligence: 1
Ability Attack: [None]
Ability Armor: Minimal resistance
Agility: 3
Movement Speed: Moderate; fast when charging
Skills
Skill Set: [None]
Passive Skills: [Thick Hide, Keen Sense of Smell]
Exclusive Skills: [None]
The boar surged forward. My first instinct was to watch, after all, interference isn't possible.
But the child's scream cut through the air, raw and desperate. Something inside me stirred.
I focused. I gathered the strange energy I didn't fully understand, concentrating it into a single point. My form began to glow faintly.
Thornback charged.
I released the energy. A wave of force struck the beast. Its tusks shattered. Its body exploded violently, blood and bristly fur sprayed across the plains. The sound echoed across Nyvros, and silence fell once more.
I hovered, exhausted. My faceless form flickered, energy draining from me. I had overstepped. I had interfered.
Then, darkness.
When I awoke, I was back in the dead world—alone once more. My body ached, my mind exhausted, but a small, strange satisfaction lingered.
So this is power… I whispered, the System's words echoing in my thoughts: "Devour the Demi-God and Ascend."
A new understanding was forming. Slowly… very slowly… I was beginning to grasp what it meant to wield this System.