Ch.44 ...And Missing Fragments.
As the massive will neared Malpetios he could see its appearance clearly. An androgynous twelve-year-old human who unlike the rest of the wills, sported clear eyes with rainbow irises.
The approaching System stopped abruptly just before touching the white world; "this... this is? The Host has not been given permission to create a Support Core." The Systems clear eyes rapidly turned cold and lifeless the further it talked, its voice losing all childish vigor.
[Unauthorized supporting core detected. Re-evaluating the possibility of Host being a Fallen One... 0.00001%.] The giant's eyes gained a hint of confusion, "[No]...no! Somethings wrong!"
Although the Worlds Will does its best to help and maintain cores, it really doesn't have much wisdom. Like a computer, it constantly made Cores with minimal changes after each failure, attempting to find a cure for itself.
Those that survive or died, slowly added to its database, creating a template for a stronger generation. However, in the end, no matter how foolproof it may seem, problems started to pop up.
Many of the new cores became amalgamations of many ways of thought. Even after the World's Will eliminated the emotions, leaving only the knowledge, the new cores constantly attempted to do anything in their power to survive.
Knowing that if they did the same thing as before they would die, they made their Dungeons into pits of death. Things just as curiosity and mercy were thrown out the window, becoming closer to what the World's Will thought they should be.
No matter how many memories they inherited from the dead invaders, like family and love, they have thousands more of the horrors sapient races are capable of; not to mention the ones where they are being destroyed without a second thought the moment they let them inside the Core room.
Refusing to experience death once again, alongside the desire to not turn into nameless memories for the next core, they did everything imaginable. From Skimming around all the rules or using the vague wording, just as there must be a path to your core room, to leave small near unnoticeable holes for them to produce enough mana to both survive and purify the smallest decimal of mana.
To doing everything to kill anyone that dared step inside their halls. Although many of them survived much longer from this, they supplied nearly nothing to the World or worst gave the allusion that things were perfect and no change was needed. After all, they lived far longer than any other failed Cores.
This prompted many of the sapient races to destroy them. Something that weakens the strength of a country with no benefits was nothing but a tumor. Their only value was the core itself, a core that knew almost all their tricks and tactics from inherited memories, killing many that entered.
In the end, the Sapient races noticed that only powerful individuals or a large army could overcome these malformed Dungeons. Ever since then, Dungeons were things that must be destroyed before they could grow into a catastrophe for the region.
The Worlds Will started to notice that its Mana investments were always returning in the black. With no other choice, it decided to ask the most proficient Cores for help. After trial and error, new rules were created to prevent the new generations from turning into Fallen Ones.
The Future Generations Path, with many new rules ensuring a stable rate of growth for both the core and other creatures inhabiting the world. This alongside small fragments of the Worlds Will created The System.
Its purpose is to absorb and organize the unnecessary memories from the will fragments, as well as preventing the newborn cores from becoming psychopaths that barely function for their purpose.
In this way, the System was able to deliver Mana straight to the World's Will, allowing for trade and creative ideas. The newborn Cores would now slowly absorb the memories over time, no longer destroying their own personalities before they were ready.
[Removing, Fallen One, from the algorithm. Reviewing past and present requests... ERROR!!! E̷R̶R̷O̴R̷!̷!̵ E̷̖͙̬͎͒̂̓̓E̷̛̳͂̑̚E̴͍̘̹̯͝Ḙ̴̪̠͛͊̾Á̴͇̹̻͈E̶͕̲̅͌̕E̴͉͆̐͂E̸̯̦͝-̴̣̩̗̺̐͐E̷̛͙̞̅̍̐-̷͔͈̀͛͒͂E̶͍͕̩̊͑̑̍ͅË̷̩̹̮E̸̢̛̫̿̏̎Ë̴͉̦̬̯́Ě̶̢̫R̸̝̩̮̦̈́́͛́Ŗ̵͉̘̺̾Ŗ̶̮̳̝̓R̵̡̧͈̰͘-̶͍̖̔-̵͕͕͇̝̐̏Ȑ̷͖̟̝R̸̤̓R̶̨͕̮͈̋̃̎̈́-̸̬̏-̵̙̙̮̼͐̕̕Ŗ̶̀̎R̷̢͔̤͇͠R̵̡̬̔͝Ỏ̴͉́-̵͙̿̅͝-̵̞̗̻̈́͆̕Ò̵̧͈̾́̕Ǒ̴͚̟͚-̷̞͠Ô̸͔̠̩̺̂̓O̶̝͇̓̄Ŗ̴̂̀̔R̴̨̩͇͒̃̂!̸̼̅̅̎̀!̵̡͛..]
The Systems body started to scream 'error' over and over again sounding more broken and robotic. Covering his head did nothing to alleviate the pain, as Malpetios yelled at the system trying to get it to focus on something else. "SysTeM!! wHaT'S A SupPOrt cOrE!"
[E̷̖͙̬͎͒̂̓̓E̷̛̳͂̑̚E̴͍̘̹̯͝Ḙ̴̪̠͛͊̾Á̴͇̹̻͈E̶͕̲̅͌̕E̴͉͆̐͂E̸̯̦͝-̴̣̩̗̺̐͐E̷̛͙̞̅̍̐-̷͔͈̀͛͒͂E̶͍͕̩̊͑̑̍ͅË̷̩̹̮E̸̢̛̫̿̏̎Ë̴͉̦̬̯́Ě̶̢̫R̸̝̩̮̦̈́́͛́Ŗ̵͉̘̺̾Ŗ̶̮̳̝̓R̵̡̧͈̰͘-̶͍̖̔-̵͕͕͇̝̐̏Ȑ̷͖̟̝R̸̤̓R̶̨͕̮͈̋̃̎̈́-̸̬̏-̵̙̙̮̼͐̕̕Ŗ̶̀̎R̷̢͔̤͇͠R̵̡̬̔͝Ỏ̴͉́-̵͙̿̅͝-̵̞̗̻̈́͆̕Ò̵̧͈̾́̕Ǒ̴͚̟͚-̷̞͠Ô̸͔̠̩̺̂̓O̶̝͇̓̄Ŗ̴̂̀̔R̴̨̩͇͒̃̂!̸̼̅̅̎̀!̵̡͛.E̷R̶R̷O̴R̷!̷!̵ error..... Host.... resetting logic pattern...] The chaotic voice slowly turned lively and fluid.
"Mister Ho-Host? Uhm... Support Core.. oh! OH! Yes sorry Supporting Cores are created when the Dungeon gains permission to create floor two, eleventh, twenty-one, and so on. They are made by either implanting a fragment of the Host soul into cores carrying your element or by breaking a piece of the host Core."
"It is advice for the Host to buy a ready-made Core from the Trade Market, as using your own will weaken you for a period of time." Said the System, as for Malpetios he was starting to understand why he could control the white world.
It was in essence a part of him corrupted in some way he did not understand. "System, since I have not created one of those it can only mean a piece of my soul is out of my control and wondering around this white world right? If so, can you find it so I may retrieve it?"
Hearing what Malpetios said the System seemed happy, "yes! I can find it but I just did not think the Host would have let me!" The giant will plunge its hand into the white world in the next moment, as it retaliated by infesting the invading hand. Sadly for the white world, it can only leave small marks on it before getting erase.
Seeming to find its target, the hand made a gripping motion as it slowly pull itself from the white world. Malpetios on the other hand was feeling a strange sensation, almost like someone was stirring around his head yet he felt no pain only discomfort.
Quickly approaching were four large wills, about the size of the Systems legs, for comparison, Malpetios was only about the size of its hand. These wills however were vastly different than those he has seen so far. Instead of a single large body, they were made of many white wills glued together into a humanoid shape.
Apart from the body, each one of them also sported different colored eyes, seeing those familiar colors he knew it was those dam Jewels! "Mister Host I found them!" Said the childish voice seemingly proud of itself, while Malpetios ignored his headache, focusing on the wills.
Pulling at the world around him, he pushes his safety bubble next to one of them. He soon found that no matter what he did the white world refused to move past a foot or so from the body of the will. Instead, he got an idea, can he do the same thing the Jewels are doing and 'corrupt' himself?
His first few attempts did not work so well, as his hand became fully white before he could touch the wills. Not wanting to give up he attempted a few things while his hand slowly turn black again, finally finding something useful.
Pushing against the white barrier was akin to jumping into a trampoline, it would bend around the attack before rebounding allowing you to go a bit further if you hit the same spot.
Using this to his advantage Malpetios manages to grab one of the wills making up this body, pulling it back before his hand turned white. Now out of the clustered of wills, Malpetios tried to force his way inside the white body only for its brown eyes to slowly turn white.
Seeing no other change he continued till the feeling of duality he felt in Muscles cave returned to him once more. Suddenly feeling like he was looking at a mirror, the two bodies stared at each other in confusion. At this moment the System decided to make itself known.
"Supporting Core soul fragment detected. Due to the strange circumstances as well as the likelihood that Host is a Fallen One being nearly zero, the System will overrule the patterns and allow the Host to create a second floor earlier than normal."
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"Congratulasion mister Host! I will now register this Support Core." The system voice sounded almost relief, and honestly, Malpetios could see why. Not only did this thing literally when 'under the system' causing massive confusion and errors for it, but it had no way to fix it without my intervention.
The System stretched one of its fingers creating a small black ball heading towards the white body, sinking inside of it like a drop in the ocean. "Registration complete, would host like to name this Support Core?" Said the System.
As for me, as soon as the black ball entered the white body the feeling of duality when away. Instead, I felt like a whole other personality was inside my mind, the source of it right in front of me. Curious, I connected to it and found myself in a strange trance.
I saw myself in the clouds high above looking down at all the living things under me with a face full of warmth and superiority as if all living things in my eyes needed my guidance for they did not know any better. I quickly recoiled out of that mind, as cold sweat ran thru me.
This way of thinking was simply disgusting to me, no matter how much I need to kill to survive I never saw myself as better than others. "I-I'll think of a name later!" After responding to the System I started to get more clear-headed and found that this thing was not actually malignant, but truly thought that everything except me should bow and obey him.
The creepiest part out of all of this was that it did all these awful things with a pure heart and soul, all most like a saint smiling down on the cursed world. Snapping out of it I focus back on the four large wills and decided to ask this new Supporting Core of mine for help.
With a nod, it waves its hand, and the large Wills scattered all over the place, the ease of which made me feel like a failure. Ignoring my embarrassment I pulled one of them in and ask my new sidekick to do the same, however.
I quickly found out that it could do nothing to them, although it can control them like its own arms and legs now, it can't clean the imprint left behind by the Jewels. It was like using fire to put out a fire... it ain't working.
Malpetios was once again back where he started, he did not have the time to clear out this stuff one by one. However, be it as it may this is still some progress, and he tried really hard to come up with something.
Then he remembers! His sidekick here can control the will fragment's by spreading the white world to corrupt them, so all he needed to do was to force them to fight with the black wills and destroy each other. This will end up with me as the ultimate winner.
It was a good idea... sadly it did not pat out the way I wanted. The normal will fragments immediately turned white the moment they touch, so they failed, luckily I was stubborn and tried again with different-looking wills and found myself a way out.
The larger more powerful Will fragments could resist long enough to destroy one or too white wills before they turned white themselves. The worst part is that I cant reuse them, once they turn white outside the white world they stay white, and trying to cheat it by covering them in the white world first just had them run away or became docile till its removal.
Going back to the drawing board, Malpetios thought about the System, it, however, was also useless as the white wills saw it as one of them. Frustrated he turned to the System to ask for any ideas when its appearance reminded him of another giant will.
"mUScLeS!!!" That's right Malpetios had completely forgotten about him. With a goal in mind, he explains the situation to both of them only getting a 'be careful' from the system and a warm smile from his sidekick.
Returning back to Muscles cave, Malpetios no longer felt the differentiating perspectives foreign, as if he always had two different bodies all his life. Knowing what Malpetios wanted, his Supporting Core began to send the white world into one of his arms, ballooning into a disfigured steroid-looking arm.
Malpetios knew he did not have the time to deal with the will fragments so he had already defeated the larger ones near him. This also increased his mental force and size, as well as lighting up his body to where rainbow colors were barely visible.
Wanting to make sure he did not miss any of the white wills, he check one last time inside his soul. Making sure they were all ready to be injected into Muscles. To his surprise, he found some refusing his sidekick's orders and they were coming from where the four white giants scattered before.
Focusing back inside his soul, he found four large black-flesh hills with innumerable bite marks as if it was fished out of a piranha attack. The wills resisting his orders were not fully formed, looking like dismember white-body parts trying to escape from the hole left behind from whatever bit it.
Before Malpetios started to worry, he noticed that they were slowly sinking back into the flesh hill, turning black in the progress. Seeing the problem was fixing itself, he ignored it and continued with his goal.
If only Malpetios would have waited for a moment longer he would have noticed that these hills look similar to body parts, the disappearing white wills no longer drawing attention away from it.
"System, allow me access to the barrier around Muscles!" Requested Malpetios, the System working quickly on it. The rainbow bubble covering Muscles started to open around its chest, releasing great pressure.
Malpetios could not stop his whole body from shivering in fear of it but he chose to charge at him, tossing all his worries away. His only goal was to punch Muscles in the gut, before it had a chance to do anything, allowing his Supporting Core the seconds it needs to take control.
However, I underestimated Muscles strength too much, even after the System tried to suppress it and the lack of a soul, that thing was still a rank eight will. Just before I connected with him he dodge, my oversize hand was now stuck inside from the shoulder down.
Before I could even think, it bit down at my arm ripping it out of the socket, "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!" The pain was excruciating as I rolled around the floor crying.
Taking this chance, Muscles used its large hands to pull the opening wider, his bloody eyes looking at me as prey. Making enough room for itself, he escapes while rushing right at me before stopping inches away from my body.
Recollecting myself from the pain, I slowly felt the pressure Muscles emitted growing weaker rapidly, turning almost friendly. Looking up I saw Muscles twitching like it was shot by a taser, I could feel that it still very much wanted me in its mouth, but was stopped by something.
From my Mind, the Supporting Core started to send me ideas and vision of being in control, as if Muscles was a puppet under many strings. Picking myself off the ground, I send a few simple movements to the Support Core, Muscles repeating them with no problem.
Having such control of this scary bastard made me immediately throw caution to the wind, coming up with a daring plan. "Supporting Core, can you use this body to fight those bastards outside?" Instead of replying it began to swipe its claws and feet, looking deathly.
"Nice, go get them!!!" Said Malpetios in pure joy, as Muscles nodded and started to walk outside. It would not take long before Muscles met up with the Jewels, but before it walked outside his sidekick sensed that he was being watched.
With that reminder, Malpetios thought about the different eye-color white wills. Tracing his remaining hand over his white face, he asked if it was possible to separate from each other. The Supporting Core agreed, the white face falling to the ground a moment after.
Before Malpetios could get used to his vision being in different altitudes, wailing screams once again attacked his soul. Thankfully he had already absorbed a lot of the larger wills, both increasing his resistance and reducing the will's overall strength.
Now that he no longer had the white world to shield him, he simply tried to push away the wills as he moved forward. Sadly, even though he was now resistant to their attacks on his soul, the constant memories that flew past him still made him unable to control his body.
Just trying to move one step, was blocked with six or seven memories of having to dodge right or run backward from something in them, resulting in stress and lack of control towards his body. "Dam it! How the heck can I get out of here, at this rate I'll be a sitting duck."
While he struggle the sound of little feet was heard near him. Managing to turn his head Malpetios saw his Lily had run next to him at some point. He can guess it was scared by the big potatoes outside and ran towards me in fear.
"Boss Fusion!" Malpetios thought about the effects his fusion skill had and decided to see if it could help, if not the lily could at least get him out itself. Turning into blacken-rainbow petals entering the lily, Malpetios was pleasantly surprised to find it really help, nearly completely numbing the effect of the wills on him.
Using his control of the Mindscape he opens a hole on the other side of the cave, his Lily quickly running outside reaching the forest in a few moments. Now that I was out I could see the Giant tentacles coming from the Trade Market again.
Ordering my lily to head towards the Mana Pool, I saw the Jewels were just standing there having a staring contest with Muscles. Since they were so focused on him, the Lily sprinted towards our goal, reaching it unnoticed.
As I came out of the Lily my head started to hurt again, ignoring it I reach my hand toward the pool. Like a proud lady that can be seen but never touch, the pool was outrage that lingering wills tried to dirty her realm. Malpetios could feel a pressure hundreds of times stronger than Muscles attacking his arm and soul.
However, upon reaching his soul the proud lady seemed to have noticed that under the dirt was an ally, turning from trying to destroy to cleansing. The pressure turned gentle towards Malpetios, ruthlessly tearing the will fragments in his arm apart.
Taking advantage of this, Malpetios kept cycling thru the wills pushing them towards his arm retrieving the purified fragments. Slowly Malpetios body became lighter and lighter, his rainbow colors becoming more visible. This worked till he pushed the flesh hills left behind by the white wills towards it.
Malpetios noticed that the Mana pool ignored the hills as if they were a part of him, his action only pushing them closer together. Reacting to their proximity, the hill's flesh turned into tentacles moving the others towards a specific location, then fusing with each other.
At first, it just looks like a giant weirdly shape blob, but after they started to fuse, Malpetios noticed that they were human-shape. The thing finally reveal what it was, a torso with half its arms and legs missing or full of bite marks. The large will look like it had been someone's chew toy for a long time.
The wills eyes snapped open as soon as it finish its fusion, opening its mouth in a silent scream, tears falling from its brown eyes. The Will started to spasm, looking towards every direction like a man in quicksand searching for a lifeline.
Seeing this Malpetios went inside his soul again, the creature turning to him instantly. "You-you who are you? Are you real or are you fake?" The will started to talk to him and to his complete shock, it was his own voice coming out of it.