"Okay, let's see what you do." Chris muttered as he sent some energy into the strange reservoir that he'd discovered in his world. "Should be ability energy, right?" There was only one way to check. A cocoon formed around him as he began the mutation process, pulling the energy towards him, watching it swirl inside, settling down inside him, and… it stuck! *Freaking finally!* Chris internally sighed in relief. He was beginning to think he'd be stuck as a powerless backliner forever. No matter how this energy turned out, he knew he could do something now. Though the fact that he had to mutate to draw in the energy was still annoying. Particularly since he still didn't have enough experience for a decent one. Unless… maybe if he started with a fresh template? Like he had in Thomas's World… something to check out later.

While he waited for that though… "How's the system coming?" Chris asked Victoria, sitting down next to her.

"Good." Victoria. "We've tested it in four Worlds, and Awakening has proven to just be a catch-all term for connecting with the power system of whatever World you're in." She paused. "Makes me wonder what would have happened if I tried to Awaken in my original World… Obviously the World had been reduced to the bare basics, but there had to be something there before that Immortal reset everything, right? What would that World have looked like if not for their meddling…"

"Probably something just as messed up as the other Worlds." Chris shrugged.

Victoria paused. "Well, you're not wrong. But at least everyone would still be alive."

"True." Chris agreed.

"Anyway, I've been working on making the system more… general, so we don't have to change it every time we go to a new World." Victoria continued. "The thing that's tripping me up is actually my own World. See, in every other World, people only have one type of energy. Ability energy, mana, Energy, ability energy again… but my World has three energy types. Which isn't a problem spending wise, it just splits up between however many types you have, but- well, you see, with cultivation, you have to do this thing where you condense your energy, then add to it. However, if I spend points on adding to my energy when it isn't condensed, it just raises my energy capacity and fucks up my cultivation. And since I can't condense all my energy at once… And then there's the whole issue of Capacity, which none of the other Worlds have to deal with! It's- it's just a problem."

"Is it?" Chris asked. "Your World is an outlier, obviously, so give it its own unique system. Meanwhile, the general system seems to work just fine for pretty much every other World. Sure, we'll have to deal with tricky Worlds every now and then, but that doesn't mean the general system doesn't work just fine for the rest."

Victoria blinked. "Huh… Well, then the system is going just fine. Happy you can finally use it?"

Chris frowned. "Happy is a strong word… satisfied would be more apt. I've been powerless most of my life and I'm tired of it. I'm tired of all these paths simply being cut off for me, and seemingly only me. To finally find a way forward… It is satisfying."

"Yeah… I don't think any of us will have to worry about being powerless again." Victoria replied with a complicated expression. "I used to worry about getting trapped as a single point, unable to heal or find a new body… but now, with you guys, with the room… I used to joke about being immortal, mostly to piss off this annoying snake, but we're immortal. Who knows how long we've been alive in that room? Who knows how long we will be alive?" Victoria sighed. "No matter where we end up, we will become the most powerful beings in that World. It's just a matter of how much damage we do along the way."

"Hopefully as little as possible." Chris muttered, shaking his head. "But just as we will in your World, we will do whatever is necessary."

Victoria shook her head. "It isn't that I disagree, it's just- at some point, does the cost outweigh the gain? At what point do we cause more problems than we solve?"

Chris blinked at her. "You've been talking to Andrew, haven't you?"

"He brings up good points." Victoria shrugged. "Actions have consequences, and when it comes to people and society, not all those consequences are clear. What if what we see as a problem is actually the only thing keeping things from being even worse? What if our help only makes it easier for people to be horrible to each other? What if it's better to just let things run their course?"

Chris frowned. "So you think we shouldn't stop the Hidden Blades?"

"No, I still think they're a problem and they need to be dealt with, it's just… Is the rest of that World all that better? Would the other sects be doing the same thing as them if given the opportunity? I know my kingdom is a shitshow. Nobles barely see the commoners as people and the King kills or subdues anyone he thinks might be a threat. One dude tried to rape me just because I didn't want to marry him! If that's the standard of the World… Are the Hidden Blades really so bad?" Victoria finished with a sigh.

"I think that just means we have more work to do, not that we shouldn't stop the Hidden Blades." Chris replied.

"Yes, but if the entire World is fucked up, how can we blame the Hidden Blades for being fucked up too?" Victoria retorted. "They should still be stopped, but… the issue of how we go about it changes. Are they evil enough that they need to be wiped out, or should we try working with them instead, showing them that there is a better way?"

Chris paused. "I think… I don't think we can tell one way or the other at this point." He frowned. "And either way, we still need to get stronger… I guess we'll see when we get there." He shrugged. "Just because we have a plan, doesn't mean we can't change if necessary. The point is that what's happening needs to stop. How we accomplish that doesn't particularly matter."

"I suppose…" Victoria muttered, before letting out another sigh. "I just don't want to ruin another World."

*

"Chris, the surface is boring." Greg complained as he sat down across from him at the tavern, waving down a server.

Chris blinked at him. "Okay… so?"

"So I don't do well when I'm bored!" Greg exclaimed. "I need something to keep me occupied!"

"And you think I can do anything about that?" Chris raised an eyebrow at him, before pausing with a frown. "Wait, didn't I give you a bunch of books already? Why don't you read those?"

"I finished them." Greg sighed. "I got a little excited and… well, many hands make quick work."

"There were dozens of them…" Chris muttered.

"Hey, I'm not saying I'm proud of myself." Greg shrugged. "But what's done is done. The question is where we go from here."

Chris shook his head. "Look, I can get you more books, maybe a video game or two, but-" He paused. "Wait… I may have an idea."

Greg blinked. "You do?"

"Yeah, there's this AI, Gaia. This dude used her to make a game… theoretically, she could make games, or just stories, for you too, as many as you want." Chris muttered. "It's just a question of how to copy her." He eyed Greg. "Without destroying her or stealing her."

Greg gave Chris a weird look. "Her… like this AI is a person her? Like, post-singularity her?"

"If you mean she's intelligent, then yes. She's at least as much of a person as I am." Chris nodded.

"Huh…" Greg frowned. "Are you sure it isn't just a programming trick? Cause a super advanced alien empire couldn't figure out true AI in my World. I find it hard to believe some random dude managed to pull it off to make a video game."

"If it is a programming trick, it's advanced enough to be indistinguishable from the real thing, so the difference is pretty much irrelevant, isn't it?" Chris countered. "If you're really concerned, I could introduce you to her. We hang out a lot."

"Wait, you're friends with the AI?!? That-" Greg paused. "That actually doesn't surprise me. If anyone could be friends with a machine, it's you."

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

Chris blinked. "I- can't tell if I should be insulted or not."

"Well, you are friends with a machine, so… not?" Greg offered.

"Fair enough." Chris shrugged. "Anyway, it couldn't hurt to check right? Might be the permanent cure for your boredom."

"Or the reason I shut myself off from the rest of the world, never to emerge again." Greg retorted.

"Or possibly both." Chris chuckled.

Greg snorted, tapping his finger on the table. "She made an entire video game?"

"One as complex as an entire World." Chris nodded.

"Shit…" Greg sighed. "Fuck it, let's go meet her."

*

"What took you guys so long?" Chris asked with a frown as the other three finally appeared in the starting square of the game. He'd grabbed Andrew and Victoria as well, since he figured he might as well bring everyone if he was making a trip to Earth.

"Why didn't you tell us we had to run through an entire damn Trial!" Victoria snapped back. "I thought you said character creation was easy!"

"It was easy for me…" Chris frowned.

"I'm sure it was." Greg sighed. "Though, not gonna lie, that was actually kind of fun. Good game. Very realistic." He grinned, chuckling evilly.

"It's a game." Victoria rolled her eyes. "It's supposed to be fun."

"I dunno. Kinda felt like work to me." Andrew muttered. "Except more annoying, cause I don't have my aura sight to help me find things." He paused. "Huh… is this what it's like to be normal?"

"No, no, this is what normal people do for excitement." Greg laughed. "Which means yes, you are so weird, you find what normal people find exciting boring."

Andrew's expression twisted. "Oh, that is not okay."

"To be fair, one of the World's you're in is essentially a video game in and of itself." Chris pointed out. "To you, this is just another reality where you're actually less capable than normal."

"Alright, alright. Isn't there a robot you're supposed to be introducing us to?" Greg asked, turning to Chris.

"Yeah, but you need to get privileges from him first." Chris replied, gesturing to Matt, who was staring at them wide-eyed.

"So these are the other gods." Matt muttered.

Victoria raised an eyebrow at Chris. "You told him about us?"

"Well, he already knew about me, and I figured it was the best way to convince him to give you the permissions you needed." Chris shrugged, before turning to Matt. "Which…"

"Yes, of course!" Matt nodded, quickly pulling up his menu and giving the other three the permissions they needed to talk to Gaia. "There, you're good to go. Just- um, if possible… this system you have? Could- is there a way-" Matt fumbled his words as he glanced between Victoria and the floor.

"You want the system?" Victoria asked. "Wait, no, of course you want the system. Everyone wants the system."

"It's a pretty great system." Greg nodded in agreement. "As long as it doesn't fuck up the world."

"It- probably won't, right?" Victoria replied. "There's no Immortal to get all pissy in this World, is there?"

"Would we be able to tell?" Andrew asked.

"That- is a good question." Victoria frowned. "How do you tell if a World has an Immortal or not?"

"Hold on, let me ask Narita." Greg offered, going silent for a moment, before his expression twisted. "Apparently it isn't an issue she deals with. The way they travel between Worlds passes through the Core, which the Immortal controls, so the only way to get to a World under the control of an Immortal is by getting that Immortal's permission. And not all Immortals change their Worlds, so there's no way to tell."

"Just great." Victoria groaned. "Freaking crapshoot then."

"So… no system?" Matt asked, sounding vaguely disappointed.

"No, as long as it's just you it'll be fine." Victoria waved her hand dismissively. "Just don't give it to anyone else and don't do anything to majorly affect the nature of the World."

"Absolutely, yes, I won't, thank you, yes!" Matt nodded excitedly, before pausing. "Uh, how though?"

"Well, we'll need to meet, obviously." Victoria replied. "I assume you have an address somewhere? Maybe a coffee shop we can meet at? I just need physical contact to pass it to you."

"Right, of course." Matt nodded. "I'll figure something out."

"Okay, great, can we meet the machine lady now?" Greg interjected.

"Yeah, come on." Chris waved for them to follow, taking them to a less public area where Heidi-Gaia was waiting. She could only push her limits so far and possessing an NPC around anyone who didn't have administrator privileges was still beyond her.

"Chris!" Gaia immediately greeted him with a hug as soon as he arrived. "Matt." She nodded briefly at him, before turning to the rest. "So, these are your friends?"

"Yup." Chris nodded. "Andrew, Greg, Victoria. Greg's the one who gets bored easily and needs someone to make games for him."

"Wait, what?" Matt looked around, confused. "What's this about?"

"Greg can make things like I can, so we're considering finding a way to copy Gaia so he has an AI of his own." Chris explained. "Mostly to keep him entertained, because he went through four dozen books in a single day."

"I could be like his personal entertainment assistant!" Gaia exclaimed excitedly. "Well, a version of me at least. And since it'd be a different game, none of the rules would keep me from interacting with him!" She practically did a happy dance as she thought of it, before settling down as she remembered it would be a different her again.

Matt blinked. "You… don't enjoy running the game?"

"Oh, no, I do, it's just- I- I want to be able to talk to people as me." Gaia sighed. "I know it would ruin the game, it's just- I get lonely…" She finished in a low mutter.

"Okay, hold on." Greg raised his hands. "You're a real AI. Like, a full, bona-fide Artificial Intelligence. A sapient machine. Post singularity tech. A person in a metal case. The whole shebang."

Gaia blinked. "Yes?"

Greg then turned to Matt. "And you made her. On your own. To make a game."

"Well, I had a team to help, but… well, I did design the self awareness code, which is the crux of the whole thing, so…" Matt muttered, still staring at Gaia with a mix of shock and confusion. This- wasn't the Gaia he was used to.

"Doesn't this seem a little ridiculous to anyone else?" Greg asked, looking around.

"No more ridiculous than anything else a World does." Andrew shrugged. "As we said, one of my Worlds essentially is a video game. Is it really that much weirder for a World to create one?"

Greg shook his head. "This isn't a World thing, this is a technology thing!"

Chris frowned. "What's the difference? Technology is built off the World. If you don't have the right rules, no technology."

"So… World's can make technology possible?" Greg asked hesitantly, before frowning. "Wait, of course they can. They design how everything works, so- okay, I'm good." He waved his hands for everyone to ignore him, before pausing. "Wait, shit, does this mean technology from other Worlds won't work?!?"

"Maybe?" Chris shrugged. "Is this relevant?"

"If certain technologies only work in certain Worlds, then what if she doesn't work in other Worlds!?!" Greg asked, pointing at Gaia.

"Then you'll have to find some other way to entertain yourself in those Worlds." Chris replied simply. "You'll at least have the option here."

"Eh, fair enough." Greg sighed, shaking his head.

"Wait, hold on." Matt raised his hands. "I can't- how exactly are you going to copy Gaia?"

"Could just have Jo do it." Andrew offered. "That's her ability, right? Copying things?"

Chris blinked. "Now why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you don't think about other people." Gaia commented. "Not in the bad way, but in the way that you never consider what other people can do for you. You're a little obsessed with doing things for yourself."

Chris blinked again. "Really?"

Gaia nodded. "It's a bit annoying. I've given you dozens of opportunities-" She turned to Matt. "Opportunities within reason, of course, to show leadership qualities and instead you've insisted on handling each one yourself! How am I supposed to give you a promotion when you insist on acting like a grunt?!? A very competent grunt, but still."

"Interesting." Chris muttered. "I suppose it just seems pointless to get others involved in something I can handle myself. Lots of extra effort for no benefit."

"No, working with others builds trust. If you do everything yourself, no one will have any idea how to work with you!" Gaia retorted.

"Eh." Chris shrugged. "If I need someone to trust me, I have my subordinates."

"It is killing your progress in the game!" Gaia protested.

"Honestly, the game has kinda lost its relevance." Chris sighed. "We found out about the Prince from Alexander, the war is pretty much inevitable, but we're moving forward with the reveal of the Doppelgangers and Elves in the City, so that should head off the Purge, and change things enough that the events of the game have little to no relevance to what's going on."

Gaia froze. "You- don't care about the game anymore?" Chris shook his head. "Then- does that mean you'll stop visiting?" She asked in a small voice.

Chris frowned. "No? It just means I get to play the game the way I want to, instead of the way I need to to get information."

Gaia let out a relieved sigh. "Good."

Matt looked between Chris and Gaia with a frown. When had his AI developed such a close relationship with Chris?!? Why had his AI developed so many emotions!?! He'd made her smart, not emotional! She was just supposed to create the story and run the NPC's! She wasn't supposed to be needy! Maybe he should let Chris take her and start again… fix the issue and put in a new AI. It'd be difficult to rework the system, but not impossible… particularly not with access to the abilities these people had. "I suppose you will need access to the company facilities then?"

"We can get you the system in the process." Victoria added.

"Sounds like a plan." Greg clapped his hands. "Gaia, I look forward to working with you."

Gaia smiled. "Me too."