CC: Chapter 90 – The Truth?

It had taken centuries and I was an old man now. My joints hurt, and my senses were going dim. Life was a struggle, but I refused to give up. I was going to reach the center of this bubble no matter what.

Forests, mountains, oceans, super creatures, nothing slowed me down. I was going to live no matter what, even as my flesh began to sag, and my eyesight dimmed. I was getting closer to the answer.

There was a void of blackness. This was the purpose of the bubble, to focus energy into this primordial chaos goop. I drew in the energy refreshing my mind and body. “AHHHH!” I let out a scream as my physical body reversed in age. Power once more coursed through my veins.

I withdrew my hand from the black goop. It was slightly smoking and my body hurt, but I was whole once more. It was tempting to remain and use this energy to grow stronger, but the energy was too strong. Strong enough to be corrosive.

If I used this energy to continue my cultivation then I would burn my body from the inside, destroying my foundation. But a dying man in the desert, would not care how nasty the water was, they would drink from it regardless. In this metaphor, I was the dying man in the desert.

While the energy wouldn’t completely heal me, it kept death at bay for just a bit longer. Standing up from the shore of blackness I looked off in the distance. Whatever was the center of everything was out there and I would find it. A refined source of energy to complete my journey of cultivation.

It didn’t take that long to create a platform. By focusing my energy, I would be able to create an upwards force and sail over this black sea of putrid energy.

As I set off there was a lot of turbulence, but it didn’t matter. I was going to reach my destination regardless. My control over energy had only grown over time, where I had to ration each and every bit.

Several days went by, before I finally saw a cliff in front of me. I leapt off my raft as it sank away. The air was getting better I noticed as I landed on solid ground. I stretched my arms and rolled my neck. There was a desert in front of me. A new type of terrain, one I didn’t care for, but it didn’t matter. Nothing would stop by advance to the center of this place.

I set off once more and the terrain changed incredibly rapidly. Also there was energy in the air that shifted based on the terrain type. There were also monsters. One swing of my sword and they were killed easily, but unlike the previous monsters these ones dissipated into energy and left behind a crystal of refined energy. I tried to process the energy from these crystals, but only got a small fraction of energy from them.

Continuing onwards, I began to run into other humans. “Hello?” I called out to a small group who had just killed a monster. They turned to look at me fearfully. One stepped forward.

“Um, hello there?” they spoke English! Not cultivator language. That was incredibly surprising. I could also see they had energy within them. Very structured and a unique method of cultivation. Some sort of body building technique.

“Hello,” I repeated in English. A language I had not used for millennia. “I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance, may I know who I am speaking to?” I asked.

“I am team leader Hendricks,” the older man said. I nodded slowly at this, not understanding.

“Team leader for clearing out these monsters?” I asked.

“Yes. For this zone,” he replied.

“And who is in charge of this area? I would speak with them,” I said. I wanted to find the center and chat a bit. I had been alone for a long time. Having a friendly conversation while getting directions would be amazing. I noticed people in the group sharing looks with each other.

“That would probably be Michael,” Hendricks said.

“Why the hesitation?” I asked.

“He doesn’t like being bothered. After defeating the most recent threat, he is off grinding on his own,” Hendricks replied and I nodded. Secluded cultivation, that made sense. Anyone who was powerful would do such a thing.

“Can you arrange a message, and I desire maps of this area. I would be willing to trade,” I replied.

“Are you from outside the Systemic Lands?” One of Hendricks younger companions asked me.

“Yes. I am from the Heavenly Alliance. The Forever City.” There were just looks of confusion. “Systemic Lands, that is an interesting name.”

“Michael chose it,” the young man said.

“Well, who am I to judge? I am on a great journey and would like maps and to speak to the person in charge,” I repeated.

***

Hendricks and his team returned to a nearby city. I had been looking over their maps and this place made no sense whatsoever. Then there had been talk of stats and a store. I felt a great fear growing in my guts.

This place could be run by an energy construct, otherwise known as a calculator. Yang Heng had warned me of such things. They offered an easy path to power, but they were a trap. For that wasn’t your power, your ability. You would be a slave to whatever they had planned for you.

Cultivation was different. While I had often depended on others for help, my power and choices were my own. Cultivators prized that kind of independent decision making and freedom. If a person failed to cultivate to immortality, that failure was on them.

While cultivation was not done in a vacuum, managing those outside influences was part of cultivation. But that was a big reason why there was no chattel slavery. Even the people grown in vats could leave and cultivate if they had enough desire. The opportunity for growth might be very difficult, but it was there.

A calculator, or an energy based being focused on numbers was completely different. It would reward service with power. But you would always be chained to its power. Its fate was your fate.

I didn’t even date investigate the store or touch those pillars. This entire place was no longer as friendly as I once imagined. “We got a message out, Michael should be here in the next couple of days to speak with you,” Hendricks came over and told me.

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“I hope it isn’t rude of me to ask, but we were transported here, any idea how we can get back to Earth?” I considered the question. I too had come from Earth, but was it the same Earth? It was unknown how many material bubbles were out there that were similar to each other.

Infinite was a hard concept to grasp. “Was Earth a planet?” I asked and Hendricks gave an affirmative. The young man, who also had the name Michael, which was confusing, was listening in.

“You can never return. At least with no method that I know of. How you were all transported here is another question that doesn’t have a good answer. To reach so far, this System which governs your lives, is not simple.”

“Wait, you don’t use the System?” Young Michael asked.

“I am a cultivator. I do not depend on such things for power. Now I need to rest and think about what we have talked about.” A room was arranged for me and I waited patiently.

Several days later, I felt someone with a lot of energy approaching. Their reserves of energy were immense. There was a knock on my door. “Enter,” I called out and stood up.

A clean shaven man entered, wearing shorts and a t-shirt. He looked very laid back, but I could sense danger from him. I inclined my head slightly. “Greetings, I am Cultivator Yuan Zhou of the Heavenly Alliance,” I said.

“Michael,” he replied.

“No title?” I asked.

“Pointless. I am the strongest. I have no need for titles to puff myself up,” he replied.

“Perhaps, but if I may be a bit rude?” I asked.

“Go ahead, better than false words,” he replied.

“A better introduction would be Processor Michael of the System. To indicate which super-organization and path of power you belong to,” I replied.

“Perhaps. But my knowledge is limited. A trade of information?” he asked and I nodded. I gestured at some chairs in the room and we sat down. “I am glad you didn’t want to fight.”

“I am glad for that outcome as well,” I replied. “Please, you can ask me the first question.”

“Generous,” he replied.

“To show goodwill. I am in your domain after all.”

“Can you explain what this place is and the System?” he asked.

“This place is a bubble of reality, with different physical laws governing it. The System is an energy construct that uses numbers and proxies to harness energy. As for greater specifics, I cannot speak to those or even guess. The possibilities are endless,” I answered and he slowly nodded at me and then gestured at me.

“The center of this bubble of reality should be nearby. Do you have any idea where it might be? And if not, could I get some maps?”

“Here, the most complete map of the Systemic Lands,” he handed me a large rolled up scroll. I carefully unrolled it and began looking at it. I spotted the city we were in. There was a large blank spot to the Northwest. My gut instincts said that the center of this place was in that location.

“How can you read and speak English?” I froze at that question.

“Just one of many languages I have picked up along my travels.” Michael shook his head.

“Your fluency is that of a native speaker. Yuan Zhou. Should I really begin to trust you? When you clearly are just looking to gain an advantage over me through deceit?”

“You might be strong, but I will no bow my head to some child,” I let out a scoff and stood up, placing a hand on the sword at my side.

“You draw that, and you will die,” Michael said and stood up as well. The tension in the air increased.

“If both of us fight, there is a good chance neither of us is walking away,” I said and waited. I felt a massive build up of energy. He was attacking first!

I drew my sword, and the attack split around me as I cut through it. The building we were in was blown apart as I rushed forward. A wave of acid began to materialize in front of me, but it was pointless. “Disperse!” I might not be the most skilled, but for something as easy to see through as this acid attack, it was a simple matter.

The energy holding it togeather broke apart. Michael was already moving around me, unleashing beam attacks, which I easily avoided or blocked with my sword. Another massive blast of energy came at me.

I split the attack once more. There were screams from the dying people around us. I easily weaved in and out of the acid attacks he launched. He was good, but nowhere good enough to beat me.

After I dispersed another attack, I pulled out my gun from my spatial bag. BANG!

This Michael could not avoid my gaze. The bullet struck his left arm he had brought up to defend himself. His arm was blown apart, leaving a bleeding stub behind. He raced towards me and I quickly put away my gun and brought up my sword.

I tried to create distance but he was fast, very fast. He punched out, just as I stabbed. The impact from his fist, and then the follow up blast of energy, blew apart my right chest, heart, and arm. I staggered backwards, bleeding heavily. I couldn’t even say anything as my sword had stabbed him right through his mouth and out of the back of his head.

This was it, the end, after so long, I died to some idiot.

 ***

NOTE: This was an April's Fools chapter, since I know many people wanted a crossover like this. A bit late but moving is a massive hassle. Should be back to regular non-joke updates in a day or two.