October 28th, 2023
The world’s structure is different now.
I can feel it in my bones as I look into this wicked world. Everything is strange, there is something that is structureless and terrifying underneath it all. I don’t want to be here, but my body, my mind, is forced to do so. I stay not because I love it, but because I must stay and witness this wickedness for my lord.
I felt the world change from my cell. Not a cell in the sense of imprisonment, for I was too pious a man to ever end up in that situation, but instead the cell as dictated by the rules of the papacy. I was a mere brother then, an aesthetic, but now time has passed and I have become far more than that.
I don’t know if it is truly god that gives me these visions, not now that I am out in the world once more, but I took my quests as gospel. I did as they said as the prophets of old once did, and I became so much more. “Oh lord.” I intoned under my breath. “Show me the progress I have gained upon your path.”
> Tutorial Completed
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> Due to completing all the quests simultaneously and without prompting, you have gained a new achievement.
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> Path Prophet: You know what the system and the world want from you, and you follow without any fear. All within is made clear for you.
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> Class Gained:System Monk
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> Description: Due to having no doubts of the system's intentions, and fervent belief in your faith, you have forfeited the chance to choose your class and have gained the System Monk class outright.
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> The system monk draws power from faith in the system and its quests. While other classes gain occasional quests from class providor or from the system for class evolution purposes, a system monk is already at their pinnacle and must simply move on. The system will provide a quest whenever it becomes necessary.
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> New Skill: Heads Up Display
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Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
> Description: All information will be always available to you, provided by the system.
“Lord our god who art in heaven thank you, for I know that this is good.” The system was a weird creation of the heavens, something made by god, and it’s visions filled my sight with information. I knew I had to do things, many things, and I would be rewarded. Much as I already was.
Walking out from my room was a chore, as opening the door knob took some effort thanks to the extra problems I had gained during my fast and prayer session. For days I had spent in my room with this system interacting with me, I knew that there was much to see.
“Oh hello brother.” One of the other monks said as I walked out of my cell. “The abbot will be happy to see you are done, we have been talking about these prompts.”
“So it is the case.” I said, frowning. “We are all getting them, it’s not just me?”
“No, it isn’t just you, I suppose you have been getitn them alone. What did you think they were?”
“Word of god.” I said, with a fervor in my voice. I wasn’t going to allow this man to simply deny my belief.
“Well perhaps it is, but if so than God is now speaking to us all, not just the prophets.” The other monk shrugged. “I suppose that’s something that may have happened.”
“Perhaps this is the rapture, not ascending to heaven but building it with our own two hands as god wills.” I smiled and turned, making a fist out of my hand though it hurt. “Allow me to speak to the abbot. I’m sure I can convince him of the word of god.”
The other monk stared at me as I walked away, still he didn’t question anything, for which I was grateful. The skills the system, the word of god, had given me were not what I would have necessarily asked for at every moment in my life. They were good, but they also brought both great pain and long suffering. I would not give up however.
Walking through the old familiar halls was nice. There weren't many things that the old building could hold for me. Not any more. I had once loved its old and solid walls, stone that had seen centuries long past. Sure, this was the new world, they were not the walls that had seen most of Christondom like European places could boast, but they had seen the birth of a new nation that was founded on enlightened Christian principles.
At the end of the hallway, up two flights of stairs, and around the corner was the office of the Abbot. The abbey wouldn’t be the same without the man, and I knew that I had to speak to him. Either I could convince him of the word of god, or I had to leave.
“Hello sir.” I said, knocking on his door. “May I come in?”
“Of course.” The loud and familiarly happy voice of the Abbot greeted me. As I stepped in he looked me up and down. “Ah, brother Daniel, what can I do for you?”
“Well, there’s two things.” I said, stepping into his room and smiling. “First of all, I would like to talk to you about God and this system. There are some important theological discussions to be had to do with these quests and classes and things.”
“I understand what you mean. I know that many of the brothers have been confused, there have been two major camps so far. Some are adopting a wait and see approach to the system, while the others think it’s some sort of Devilry.”
“Well, I suppose you’ll have to move me into a third camp, I’m fairly certain that this system is God's will. Maybe even the Metatron in a new form.”
“Interesting, I’d be happy to talk to you about that, but what’s the second thing?”
“I’d like to take a new name.” I said, lifting my hands. “Would it be possible to be called brother Stigmata from now on?” The bloody holes in my palms dripped onto his desk, as my grin seemed to unnerve him slightly.