Having gone through two simulations with the [Warhammer Simulator], Kenmyo Isayama had roughly figured out what this so-called "simulation" entailed.
Simply put, the system could "download" his consciousness into a structure known as a "Thought-form" and project it into various figures in the Warhammer world, allowing him to experience major historical events in their stead.
This was the simulation!
Kenmyo referred to these as [Scenario Simulations], as they could involve an entire war or merely a specific narrative fragment of a single character.
For example, in Kenmyo's second simulation: [Far East Galaxy: ASH-3 (Destroyed) Defense Mission], he participated in the Chaos Legion's invasion of an Imperial home world under Khorne. He took part as a Flesh Hound and played the role of a traitor by slaughtering his own side.
Why turn traitor? Because Kenmyo could gain benefits from it.
Running the [Warhammer Simulator] required Points. There were three ways to obtain them:
Cursed Energy Conversion: Kenmyo extracted Cursed Energy from his own world and converted it into points. This was currently the only way to actually initiate a new simulation.
Slaughter: Once a simulation began, the act of killing yielded points. The more blood spilled and the higher the kill count, the more points he earned.
Narrative Deviation: This was the most lucrative method but also the hardest to implement. By changing the plot and veering the event off its original trajectory, he could earn a massive sum of points.
For instance, ASH-3 was destined to be swallowed by the Warp in the Warhammer timeline. If Kenmyo had helped the Imperial Guard defeat the Chaos Legion and altered the planet's fate, he would have earned a fortune in points. Alternatively, killing the Greater Daemon of Khorne would also represent a massive payout.
However, Kenmyo's status at the time was merely that of an insignificant Flesh Hound—a Gore Hound at best—among a Chaos army of unimaginable size. Attempting to duel and kill a Greater Daemon single-handedly was like a CEO of a mysterious e-commerce company giving a brand-new intern a ridiculous task: "You. Go and take down Alibaba." "Uh... Me?"
The best Kenmyo could do was fight a guerrilla war on the fringes of the battlefield, picking off stragglers and saving whatever Imperial Guardsmen he could.
The second and third methods essentially served his final rating. The more points he earned, the higher his score, providing him with more Experience Points and Attribute Points.
Attribute Points and Experience are the permanent enhancements the simulator brings to Kenmyo. Every simulation, to some degree, increases his strength—one of the primary benefits of "simulating."
The [Warhammer Simulator] converted Kenmyo's physical metrics into data, allowing him to view his strength intuitively.
Personal Information Page:
Name: Kenmyo Isayama
Class: Psion (Psyker)
Level: LV.3, IOTA Grade (Every 10 levels represent one grade; the next grade is Theta).
Health: 100% (Cannot be fully digitized; changes based on injury severity).
Mana: 80 (Intelligence × 10; current recovery rate is 9 points per hour).
Strength: 4 (Related to attack power, carrying capacity, etc.)
Intelligence: 8 (Related to learning ability, spell damage, mana, perception, prophecy, etc.)
Charisma: 7 (Related to appearance, social interaction, summoning, etc.)
Luck: 2 (Related to random character draws and plot participation; extremely difficult to increase!)
Unallocated Attribute Points: 3
(Note: The average score for an adult male in all categories is 5; Luck is 1.)
The experience from the second simulation had leveled Kenmyo up from a LV.8 Kappa Grade to a LV.3 Iota Grade. The simulator's ranking system followed the Imperium's twenty-four-tier classification for Psykers.
In reality, such rapid leveling only happened in the early stages. Kenmyo estimated it would get harder later on. After all, the power gap between a top-tier Psyker and a low-tier one was unimaginable—comparable to dropping a tiny ant into the vastness of the Milky Way. With every major grade increase, the quality and quantity of a Psyker's power undergo a qualitative change.
All of Kenmyo's knowledge regarding the Warhammer universe and Psykers came from his first [Simulation]. To date, it was his worst-rated simulation; he doubted it was even possible to get a lower score.
The score was an unprecedented E.
Because it was his first time opening the simulator, as a "newbie benefit," the system granted him S-tier authorization to experience an A-tier simulation for free, without spending any points.
Thinking about that low score now made Kenmyo's stomach turn with frustration. His second simulation, where he was a Gore Hound leader under the Lord of Skulls, was only a D-tier simulation. The points required for an A-tier simulation would be an astronomical figure compared to a D-tier one.
A D-tier simulation cost 100,000 points. A C-tier required 1,000,000. Kenmyo didn't even know the cost of B-tier, as anything above C-tier was grayed out on his interface. Touching them would trigger a bright red pop-up: "Insufficient authorization. Please upgrade authorization." How to upgrade was not explained.
That first A-tier simulation was essentially a blank check from heaven, allowing Kenmyo to write whatever amount he wanted. And it was well-deserved, as it involved the Master of Mankind—the Emperor. It focused on the Thousand Sons, one of the twenty greatest Legions!
The campaign centered on a traitor tampering with the Emperor's edict—changing a "bring him back" order to "annihilation"—which ultimately drove the most powerful Astartes Legion of Psykers into the arms of the Dark Powers.
The event was known as: The Burning of Prospero.
Kenmyo's "Thought-form" had descended into the body of the Chief Librarian of the Thousand Sons, Captain of the First Fellowship, second only to the Primarch: Ahzek Ahriman.
Ahriman was a legendary Space Marine and a master Psyker. His status was transcendent. If Kenmyo had successfully intervened in that battle through him, he would have gained an immense amount of points.
But therein lay the problem. Before getting the simulator, Kenmyo was just an ordinary person. What happens when an ordinary human's will descends into a Psyker with such immense mental fortitude?
Even with the simulator's protection, the collapse of Kenmyo's "Thought-form" was irreversible. Not even a thousandth of a second after his consciousness touched "Professor A," his spirit was torn apart, and the simulation was declared over.
[Simulation Ended] [Rating: E]
However, an A-tier simulation was still an A-tier simulation. Even in failure, there were consolation prizes. He gained Ahriman's knowledge regarding Psykers and the Warhammer universe. Though fragmented, it was an immeasurable treasure for Kenmyo, opening his path as a Psyker. In his heart, he viewed Ahzek Ahriman as his mentor, even if they had never met.
"We are the Crimson Sorcerers of Prospero. In the eyes of our brothers, we are the damned. This is the end of our fate: to conclude in betrayal and bloodshed."
This was the last image Kenmyo saw before his consciousness dissipated: a glimpse of an old man arguing passionately with a giant, crimson-skinned man.
"No. You might find it noble to endure your fate, but I would rather take up arms and defy it!!!"