System Change

Derek smiled as he looked around the dinner table at everyone. Silvi cooking for everyone each night had become commonplace over the last couple of weeks. She always cooked every once in a while for everyone—but cooked constantly for herself—but lately, she’d been doing it more and more often. Derek would say that it was because she was enjoying seeing everyone eating her food more and more, but in reality, he knew that she was just using it as an excuse to use her new cleavers more often.

Honestly, Derek couldn’t help but shake his head when he thought about the weapons that Tyron had made for her. However, the fact that the abilities of the dual blades—along with always maintaining their sharpness—enhanced the flavor of things that they cut really showed him how much the attuning process of one’s energy mattered when finishing a weapon or set of armor.

It also showed Derek how his companion’s affinity had been turning towards cooking. Derek almost chuckled as he looked at the proud bunny—her cleavers laying on the table, one on each side of her. She’d barely stored them since she received them. Other than her cape—which was still a rather normal cape, it was just very sentimental—her blades were now her most treasured items.

Derek’s smile grew as he took a bite of the chicken-like meat on his plate. Silvi had cooked the same thing before, but he really had to admit, he could taste the difference that the cleavers made—it was certainly not a placebo. Still, he couldn’t help but sigh.

It had been a few days since he finished leveling all his new resistance skills to max. Osian had been very helpful, and the family that the king sent him to had easily been able to help him with the process. As for his Wind Resistance, Derek ended up letting Rayna continue taking any of the frustrations she had from newly becoming a mother to twins out on him.

It was a slow process, and at the end, Edgar had brought someone he knew to help, but they eventually got the resistance up. Ever since then, Derek had a bad feeling. He was out of ways to prepare, and he didn’t have much to do—at least nothing that really interested him when he had a threat looming over his and his friends’ heads. It was like he could almost sense the upcoming threat.

It’s probably all in my head, he thought. Though it is getting more and more intense each day. He looked down at the clothes he was wearing and sighed. He wasn’t like Silvi. His armor was amazing, but when it came to his normal, everyday life, he preferred to wear the clothing that Brandi had taken the time to make for him. He was, however, ready to equip it the second anything happened…

A few hours after dinner, Derek was walking home from Roman’s alchemy shop. He’d decided to just poke his head in and see how the extra brew was coming along since he’d promised Shaemus to send the man some for when he ascended. He was sure that the man would be able to grow even stronger, then the brew wouldn’t have as much of an effect on him as it currently would, so it should be okay for him to take it with him.

After seeing that Roman was almost finished with another batch, Derek left the shop and was slowly walking through Savannah as the sky grew darker and darker. Eventually, the sun went down, and not many people remained on the streets. The only light left came in the form of the rune-powered street lamps scattered throughout the city.

As he was thinking about how nice it was to just stroll through the city late at night, the ground began to shake. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but as soon as he felt it, he summoned his new armor over his clothing, just in case.Once the ground finished shaking, the familiar lights began to shoot from the sky to the ground, and he knew the Universal System had finally arrived.

This is just like back on Earth, he thought as he watched, in the distance, beams of pure blue mana appear. It was the same thing he saw when the invaders came—though the color was a bit different. When the invaders came, the mana that formed the teleportation gates for them was red. He wasn’t sure why there was a difference here, but he felt that it was the only thing it could be—considering it was something he’d been preparing for months for.

Derek looked around and saw that there were dozens of beams shooting down in the distance. He swallowed hard, then rushed back to his shop.

Not even minutes later, he’d arrived.

“Malorie!” he shouted as soon as he stepped inside.

“What’s going on?” Malorie came running. “What’s with the flashes of light?”

“Go get Brandi and Rudy, then come with me,” Derek said, ignoring Malorie’s questions.

Soon after, Derek, Malorie, Brandi, and Rudy were all rushing toward Rayna and Jacks’s house. In no time at all, his entourage increased, and the couple and their twins joined them on their way to the city center and Natalie’s residence. During that time, Derek had contacted Avery, and the man was already on his way with Thomas and the others.

“Is it starting?” Natalie asked as soon as she saw Derek approaching her home.

“Yes,” Derek answered flatly, then followed Natalie inside.

Shortly after, Avery arrived with Stella, Thomas, his grandparents, Clare, and his wards. Natalie had already prepared accommodations for Derek’s people, so they were led to them to get settled. Soon, only Derek, Avery, Stella, Silvi, and Natalie remained in the woman’s sitting room.

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“Now what?” Avery asked. The man had a pair of legendary daggers strapped to his waist and a wyvern scale bow on his back.

“I don’t know,” Derek answered honestly. When the invaders came to Earth, there was an announcement from the system letting them know. He was unsure whether they would get the same warning here or not, but he was leaning toward the Davenresh System warning people if it could. “We wait for now,” he finally said with a shrug.

“We… could go to one?” Avery asked. “To see.”

“I thought about that,” Derek said. “But I don’t want to leave here until I know the city’s safe. What if we leave, and then a portal opens in the center of Savannah? I’m not worried about us. It won’t be easy…” he started, then was hit with a notification from the Origin System.

…

Warning!

Invasion of the Davenresh System by the Universal System V3 detected…

Remnants of both systems detected in user…

Please Select an Option

Side with Universal System V3

Side with Davenresh System

Remain Neutral (Note: If this option is selected, user will not be allowed to interfere)

…

“Oh…” Derek muttered.

“What?” Avery asked, and everyone looked at him.

“Did you not get a notification from the system?” Derek asked.

“No,” all three of them answered in unison.

“Interesting…” Derek said. His thoughts then went back to his last meeting with Dave, where he’d asked him basically about his willingness to fight others from the Universal System. Well, he didn’t ask that exact question, but it was very much implied.

Remaining neutral was not really an option for Derek. How would it even keep me from interfering? Would it just forcefully ascend me or something? Of course, choosing the Universal System also wasn’t an option. I guess there’s really only one option when I think about it, he thought. Then, after a moment of hesitation, where he looked at Stella, Avery, Natalie, and then at the doorway where everyone else was led, he chose to side with the Davenresh System.

…

You have chosen to join the battle by siding with the Davenresh System…

Notifying Davenresh System…

System Notified…

Connecting…

…

Okay… Derek thought. Now what? What does the system being notified mean? He was about to ask Avery another question when he saw the man’s eyes widen, and he was met by a notification of his own. This time, it was from the Davenresh System.

Congratulations!

You have been selected to become a Guardian of the Davenresh System, should you choose to accept. Accepting this role will come with immense danger, but also possible opportunity. Will you accept this role for the upcoming trials?

“Did you all get the same notification?” Avery finally asked, while Derek was still looking at his own.

“Yes,” Derek answered, but was surprised by both Stella and Natalie’s responses.

“Notification?” Natalie asked.

“What notification?” Stella echoed.

Derek and Avery looked at one another, then Avery said, “I see.”

“You see?” Stella asked. “You see what?”

“The Great System… er…” Avery frowned. “The ‘Davenresh System…’ has asked me to become a Guardian,” he answered.

“Same,” Derek said.

“I wonder how it chooses,” Avery muttered.

“Strength,” Derek said with a shrug.

“I wonder who all has been chosen…” Avery said again.

“I don’t know,” Derek said. “If it chose you, then I’d bet that Edgar has been selected too. Probably Braxton and Marrick, too… actually.” Of all the people he knew, other than Avery, those three would be shoe-ins for becoming a Guardian. At least, if the system was selecting people based on strength.

“Osian, too… probably,” Avery said.

“I wouldn’t doubt it,” Derek agreed.

“Did you accept?” Avery asked. To the side, neither Natalie nor Stella made a noise. They were listening intently to the conversation between Derek and Avery.

“Not yet,” Derek said. “But I’m about to.”

Avery only nodded at Derek, then Derek looked at the notification once again. Without another moment of hesitation, Derek accepted.

You have agreed to become a Guardian of the Davenresh System. Please enter a chosen alias, Guardian. Your actual name will not be displayed. If left blank, a title will be assigned automatically.

Note: As the chosen name will be visible for all, revealing your true identity is not advised. This is for the safety of both the Guardians and any others.

“Uh huh…” Derek muttered. He thought that entering his actual name would be a hassle because people from the Davenresh System could apparently all see it. If he chose his own name, then they could recognize him, and it would be a hassle dealing with them. He didn’t really care about those from the other side seeing it. He would most likely be fighting them, anyway.

Derek shrugged. He hated coming up with names. It wasn’t something that he was good at, nor was it something that he enjoyed doing. However, he’d rather use his real name than have the system call him something stupid. He hesitated for a moment, then decided that he would try to choose his own title.

I would just call myself Void Monarch. I really like it, and it’s cool, but I don’t think it would be a good idea to state my affinity. Then again, there’s a good chance that Kelvin knows I may be here, and everyone will already know that I’m a void user. Still, on the off chance that they don’t, I shouldn’t make it easy on them, Derek thought.

He frowned. I guess I could just call myself The Monster… that seems to be what everyone always calls me, anyway… No… I think Kelvin called me that, too. He shook his head, then was met by another notification.

Please choose a title or name. If not chosen in the next five minutes, one will be selected for you.

Ugh… Derek sighed. I suck at this, and now there’s a time limit? He thought back to everything about himself, then a smile grew on his face. I guess that will have to do, he thought. It’s not great, but it should work.

You have chosen the title: Ascending Monarch

Are you certain about this decision? This cannot be changed once confirmed.

Well… I don’t think I’m going to be able to come up with anything better in the next couple of minutes, Derek thought. Finally, he confirmed his decision.

Congratulations!

For the duration of this trial, you will be known as: Ascending Monarch

Please stand by while the others make their decisions.