Utopian System

The rant continued, God asked them more questions until they finished explaining how they got there.

"So you weren't afraid of the message under the statistics and decided to die for the city, huh... Incredible, not even I expected such loyalty and altruism."

"Silly Nala, you're not perfect!" God exclaimed between laughs, as if sharing a private joke. "You thought they would lose 100 years by retreating due to fear and egoism! Hahaha!

The second bet is unexpectedly mine, who would have thought? They even won being level 7 hahaha take that!"

He turned to Elio, his face suddenly serious despite his bright eyes. "Well, my new 'Von', tell me... do you have your priorities straight? What do you fight for?"

Elio took a moment to consider the question. The answer should be simple: the city, of course.

He fought to save everyone, to honor his father's memory and all those who had sacrificed themselves... right?

But Cassandra's image appeared in his mind, followed by the memory of all betrayals, old and new. Even when he was younger, when the city wasn't in crisis, he had suffered at the hands of an immature Varick.

Was it worth it?

A voice inside insisted that yes, that in the end what mattered was to forgive... Right? He fought for the city... right?

"Well?" God insisted, his gaze penetrating despite his unkempt appearance.

"For my mother," Elio finally responded.

"Your mom? Hahaha!" God's laughter resonated in the chamber, but Elio didn't yield.

"Our city, yes," he continued, his voice firm. "But it has disappointed me... Still, there are people I care about in it: my friends, my siblings, and my mother. My family."

"Ok, ok," God waved his hands, his enthusiasm renewed. "If it's family, it's fine. Now I can tell you about some things and give you a new piece of information. The more deposits you overcome, the more information I can give you... for example, this isn't very useful but..."

Elio and his companions exchanged looks.

Suddenly, the genesis book and the diary made more sense: they were full of seemingly irrelevant information because they were probably transcriptions of similar conversations.

"This isn't very useful right now either, but your book is special for being Von, you know?" God continued, absently flipping through the book. "Although you must overcome more levels or they'll take away the title as soon as your friends surpass your level...

Well, as I was saying, your book as leader has access to small advantages, like combining others... Of course, that will only be useful when reaching level 10..."

He stopped, as if remembering something important.

"Be careful with the challenges, by the way. Although with those summons it's almost cheating, but always stay alert: oxygen stone and clear head, or you'll die in a stupid way, haha!"

His eyes narrowed, as if trying to remember something as he leafed through the book again.

"Oh, what was your name...? Elio, ohh from the Sun and that journey, eh... then you must be Elaria... Elian?" His laughter filled the chamber again. "Hahaha! That's not a surname. Oh, your main family branch expelled you? I see that's why you lost the final suffix... Fath's family asked for it, eh! Hahaha!"

Suddenly, his face lit up with a nostalgic smile. "It's very funny, you remind me of that idiot who wanted an explorer in that D&D campaign..." Seeing their confused expressions, he waved his hand. "What? Never mind, forget it..."

His attention returned to the book, but Elio saw that God was looking at a blank page...

God continued, apparently reading something. "Let's see, so your random values are... damn, you got a lot of points in curiosity and courage. Oops, sorry..."

His expression became momentarily concerned. "People like those tend to die first... Though it seems you don't fall easily..."

A smile of understanding spread across his tired face. "But I see now, it's not your mother or the city, eh? You're just... a natural born explorer like him."

The group watched this erratic monologue with fascination and confusion. The revelations about the system, mixed with incomprehensible references and seemingly random observations, painted an increasingly strange picture of their supposed creator.

Micah, always analytical, tried to separate useful information from the ramblings, while Mei intensely observed every gesture and expression of this being who claimed to be God.

♢♢♢♢

"Well, time's running out," God said, his voice suddenly adopting a more urgent tone.

"Let me tell you all the information I can now that you've earned the right. You'll have some more again when you finish the first ring..."

His words began to flow faster, as if he were fighting against an invisible clock.

"The wind ring is the name given to the first four deposits. They're divided into the basic elements: Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth, which cancel each other in that order." A knowing smile crossed his face. "That's what allowed you to overcome the King although you didn't have the necessary damage."

Elio and his group listened with renewed attention, each word seeming like a crucial piece of a larger puzzle.

"The elements are the demons' power base," he continued, his tired eyes shining with ancient knowledge. "Let's say they use magic similar to ours but theirs is softer and ours harder, though I don't expect you to understand that..."

Suddenly, his tone became more serious, almost paternal.

"You must advance, Elio. You must take control of the world or she will devour us all and keep it all for herself."

His eyes fixed on Elio with intensity. "You have just over 898 years left. Seems like a lot for you, I know, but don't be overconfident, you won't have much left at the end."

Micah and Zara exchanged worried looks. Who was "she"? Why 898 years?

"Don't let yourself rot like Fath by taking too many potions," God warned, a shadow crossing his face. "Some mature badly, but show that little girl otherwise, that human selfishness isn't a determining trait, that they aren't inherently egoist and evil..."

He moved toward the statue, his gestures becoming more hurried.

"In this statue you'll get the new advantages, the victory is permanent so this place is yours forever, but it has no barrier... That small blue sphere is for the city's statue, it will give you a nice surprise… Also here is your book."

His voice became faster.

"Try to reach level 10 to reduce the possibility of losing all challengers next time. Well, level 10 is hard, maybe at least nine. The summons will help a lot, it's almost cheating."

The group could feel something changing in the air, as if time itself was compressing around them.

"Well, I'd like to chat more but time's up, I'm going..."

God began to fade, but suddenly seemed to remember something crucial. His eyes opened with alarm.

"Ah right! Oops!" The urgency in his voice was palpable.

"I think I took too much of your time. There was another reason I forgot about being level 10 before coming here, besides overcoming the difficulty we thought defeating the king would have..."

The color left his face as he looked toward the chamber's shadows.

"He won't be long in coming. There's one in each deposit, it can't go through the crystal like you, so it'll be better if you use the best-known tactic in a battle like the one coming..."

"RUN!"