"Ah, the enigmatic 'Shadow' you mention? Your devoted canine companion is currently enjoying a peaceful slumber within the sprawling confines of one of the grand houses in our nearby neighborhood," shared Slubby with an air of nonchalance.
"Your kindness is much appreciated, Slubby," I responded, a grateful smile playing on my lips.
A vivid recollection surged within me, the haunting echoes of a day prior when I endured relentless harassment from a malicious Murim goblin. "Dammit, I must hasten to rescue Shadow," I exclaimed with urgency.
"Why, sir?" queried Slubby, but without a moment's hesitation, I seized Slubby's arm and propelled us both forward, sprinting with unparalleled speed towards the imminent mission to save my loyal companion.
Upon entering that scoundrel's dwelling, a disconcerting tableau met my gaze: there was Shadow, peacefully nestled in the lap of that unsavory character. The miscreant, frozen in place, seemed petrified, unwilling to make even the slightest movement for fear of rousing my vigilant companion.
"Ah, you've got yourself quite the charming companion," remarked the goblin with a sneer, acknowledging Shadow's presence.
"Give me back my dog," I told the goblin.
"No, let him sleep," he replied.
"He can sleep at my place."
While we were talking, Shadow woke up and happily ran to me, wagging his tail like a fish out of water. Confused, Slubby asked, "Who are you talking to, Mark?"
"That scoundrel right there is the cause of my injuries."
"But I don't see anyone."
"Huh? You don't see that goblin guy standing there?"
"No one else can perceive my presence or hear my words, except for you and your faithful friend, Shadow," the goblin responded.
"Slubby, head home with Shadow. I'll explain everything once I've dealt with this situation," I instructed.
Slubby hastily retreated with Shadow, perhaps perceiving me as eccentric—though, in truth, that seems to be everyone's prevailing perception.
"Why are you invisible to everyone?" I inquired as the conversation with the enigmatic master unfolded.
"Because I chose to make myself unseen," he replied cryptically.
"Why?" I pressed for an explanation.
"It's a lengthy tale," he hinted.
My insatiable curiosity led me to urge him to share the story, promising to patiently listen, regardless of the time it might consume. After a brief pause, he embarked on the narrative.
"Ever since Celestia came into existence, it was a barren realm, devoid of life, dominated solely by water and land," he began.
In a surreal twist, I found myself immersed in the tale, as if transported into a 9D movie, visualizing the unfolding events.
"Then came the 'Absolute System' from an unknown origin," he continued, recounting how it introduced diverse species to Celestia, nurturing their civilization over a few hundred years.
In this cinematic panorama, elves and dwarfs played together, immersed in an online video game, alongside humans engaging in their activities.
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"The 'Absolute System' remains an absolute enigma. Its motives are unfathomable, and its actions are unpredictable," he concluded, leaving me intrigued by the cosmic mysteries that surrounded Celestia.
"Why did the 'Absolute System' start this thing called GEC, and what exactly is GEC?" I asked, wanting to know more.
The goblin master began his explanation, taking me back to a time when Celestia's people had achieved incredible civilization levels. Suddenly, I found myself on a small battlefield surrounded by a confused audience, all summoned out of nowhere. A message appeared, announcing GEC.
"Welcome to GEC, my dear audience and players. This event decides who gets ultimate authority on this planet—the strongest ones win," the message declared.
Another message followed: "Players are chosen based on their strength and smarts. If you're not selected, you stay as an audience." The crowd looked puzzled, some even seemed sad about not getting a chance to rule.
Returning to our talk, the goblin explained, "This all started 2108 years ago, and we're now in the 2109th year of GEC, the Golden Eye Contest. Chosen players can be spotted from birth because they have golden eyes. You, my friend, are one of those players."
"The event is also responsible for the downfall of this planet," the goblin added solemnly.
"Wait, this planet is ruined?" I questioned, surprised by the revelation, considering the thriving life I had witnessed.
"As GEC became widely known, people began killing other players upon birth or in their childhood," he clarified, addressing my confusion.
"So, this place now resembles Earth?"
"It's not the place; it's the people," he remarked sagely. His words resonated with a universal truth—that a planet's destruction is often rooted in the actions of its inhabitants.
"Are you created by the system?" I queried, driven by curiosity.
"What you said is partly true. I don't know my origins, but I exist as long as the system persists, unaware of my own existence," he responded, leaving me pondering the mysteries woven into the fabric of Celestia.
"I only have access to a portion of its memory," he added.
"So, what's your goal?"
"My sole objective is to train you to become the strongest."
"Huh? Are you the strongest on this planet, given you're boasting about making me the strongest?"
"Being born from the system, I have a connection with it," he explained, shedding light on his unique role in guiding me toward strength on the extraordinary stage of Celestia.
"I can only discern that the system is malevolent and perceives you as a threat. I happen to detest anything evil," he added, revealing his strong aversion to malevolence.
"The information is valuable, but I inquired about whether you are the strongest."
"With my concealed link to the System, I possess a fraction of its strength. While not the entirety, I wield about 20% of its power," he clarified.
"Is it powerful?"
"I can overpower the mightiest player in GEC," he replied, unveiling his formidable strength.
"Is the system really that formidable?"
"Yes," he replied with unwavering confidence.
"Take a break. We'll commence your training tomorrow," he added.
As I made my way home, he left me with a cryptic warning, "Never lose this contest. Losing means losing the very reason for your existence." Confused, I reached my abode, where Shadow greeted me with exuberance, and I sensed his happiness and love through my Emotional Sensor skill.
"You've got some explaining to do," Slubby declared as he approached with something delicious.
"The answer to everything is that I pretended during our earlier conversation to train alone," I admitted, opting to keep certain secrets.
Time passed, and we enjoyed dinner together. I fed Shadow some meat, and as night fell, I rested peacefully.
Morning arrived, and Shadow woke me up. "I won't ever leave you," I reassured him, holding him close. Slubby had prepared a delicious breakfast, and it was too tempting to resist, so I also shared in Slubby's portion.
"Come home early," Slubby tearfully pleaded, lamenting his breakfast's fate.
"Goodbye, Shadow," I said, prompting him to cry even harder as I left for the day.
Entering my training room, I found my master patiently waiting. "Shall we begin training?" he inquired.
"Are you going to teach me martial arts?" I asked, thinking it might be considered inferior to advanced technology.
"Yes," he affirmed.
"But why choose martial arts when technology is so advanced?" I questioned.
"There are limitations imposed by this world on technology," he explained.
"What limitations? Isn't the technology here highly advanced?" I pressed for clarification.
"Consciousness is something that technology cannot fully comprehend. However, martial arts harbor forbidden techniques that enable control over one's consciousness," he revealed, shedding light on the unique aspects of martial arts in this extraordinary world.
"More precisely, it's about soul destruction," he added.
"That sounds intriguing. What's it called?"
"The name is... ATMA VINASHANA TECHNIQUE," he revealed, emphasizing the potency of the technique with its formidable name.