After these brief introductions, we continued our walk through this desolate territory. If at first we weren't very talkative, and only the sound of our footsteps made a noise, the silence was happily broken after just over an hour.

"Where exactly are we going? I'm just wandering around this field of ruins, and I'd like a change of scenery. Especially as food supplies are starting to dwindle dangerously..."

The unknown woman didn't know how to turn, which was promising for the future. I could only think sarcastically about this, saddened that the first meeting hadn't yielded as much information as I'd hoped. Although at least I had learned something essential: something called "food".

Of course, I could understand the concept of "food" to a certain extent. Nevertheless, it seemed so remote to me, having never needed to eat, which even earned me the inherent characteristic: "Weird energy consumption". Even though I found it debatable that anyone would call my food "Weird". Honestly, I found it offensive.

Just because the System could not analyze my "food" didn't mean it had to use such a negative turn of phrase! But then again, who was I to complain about a misnomer since, in the future, I'd prove to be no better than the System in this area. The System and I have something in common, admittedly trivial but amusing nonetheless.

Returning to the original subject, the mention of food surprised me since neither Systalia nor I consumed "classic" food by the System. I could feel foolish for not considering such an important point. After all, it was better to make a mistake on a trivial detail than on information crucial to survival.

However, this subject did provide me with two fascinating pieces of information. Firstly, I could vaguely picture the food consumed by humans, a reminiscence of my earlier memories. And secondly, as strange as it may seem, given the general insalubrity of the city, food production zones did exist.

Of course, if they existed, food imports from other cities could not be ruled out. But until now, this hypothesis had been unlikely, given the total absence of goods transport to the city's outskirts. Even if we considered that people going out of town did so for this reason, the volume transported would be insufficient.

Both seemed grossly insufficient in terms of the flow of people or the volume of storage space in the bags. But even with this question unanswered, the subject was compelling enough for me to look closer.

"I, too, wander around a bit by chance. I don't know where to go, so I let the wind guide me. And now that you've reminded me, it's true that I'm hungry too. Do you even know the direction of the nearest place to eat?"

I wanted to see such a place, so I simply asked her to ask. Of course, I'd also told her to imply that she ate the same food as the other humans in this town. And if the stranger wanted us to share our food with her, my apostle could always retort that we had none left.

All we had in our bags were a few scrolls and The Book. The latter, incidentally, was in the bag that was most easily accessible in case of need and because it was our most precious possession. All the more so as I wanted to keep the information about the food we ate from getting out. Who knows what indiscreet ears they might land in.

The stranger stared at us for a moment, the feelings on her face unreadable, before finally replying: "So we're both in a rather problematic situation. This situation is going to be complicated to resolve. Unfortunately, the only supply point I know of is that of my former gang. I know that the prospect of our survival will be complicated."

The stranger could only finish her sentence with bitterness, casting a last glance at our bags with an expression filled with disappointment as she licked her lips. Needless to say, food was undoubtedly one of her motivations for joining us. Even if, at the time, it didn't seem to be her lucky day, unlike ours.

"Besides, I've had a question on my mind for a while now. I don't understand how much damage could have been done to the environment. The sight horrifies me as I've never been in contact with such destructive objects. Wouldn't you have the beginnings of a clue to share on this subject?"

At this last question, the stranger couldn't help but frown briefly, her lips curling up as if facing a Cornelian choice. Who knew what that seemingly impossible choice was. In any case, she couldn't help but seem more wary to our eyes, although it had to be said that she hadn't attacked us, and I hadn't detected any traps.

Fortunately, the twinges in her mind ended with a slightly disturbing smile and a serious look.

"Where to begin... What I'm about to report are only rumors... Some people say that the gods have punished us for our misbehavior so far and for all our incessant wars. Of course, I don't believe such preposterous nonsense. After all, the gods had never bothered us before when the killing was a daily occurrence. Above all, this "divine punishment" creates far more chaos and desolation than the daily skirmishes between gangs. The balance of the city is completely altered, which, in all likelihood, led me to quit my gang. So, this permanent battle situation has stayed the same for a long time and doesn't justify any divine intervention. Even if I admit that some towns are experiencing strange stirrings within their bosoms."

The stranger paused briefly, staring strangely at my apostle, seemingly expecting his reaction. Whatever she was looking for, and if she had found it, she didn't show it, preferring to sigh before resuming.

"Nevertheless, while the reason is surely something else entirely, I'm certain it's a god-given power. After all, who else could lend power to cause such calamities. In any case, the arrival of this holder of divine power must have been long ago. And from the increase in damage of late, he seemed to be growing impatient. Maybe he'd even gone mad. In any case, it doesn't concern me."

The last sentence was hard to catch, being nothing more than a whisper addressed to himself. I was intrigued by the meaning of these last words, but their significance hardly revealed itself to me. So, I didn't dwell on this detail and moved on to the other surprising elements.

First, I'd confirmed that beings from the upper worlds were seen as gods here, mystical beings with unknown powers. This last point was vital since it meant that the natives' knowledge of the World was dubious at best, if not downright incorrect.

Secondly, I'd confirmed that the city was in a constant state of war, with no one gang able to gain the upper hand over the other. If that were the case, the city would be administered by a central authority, or at least without so much chaos. And that's when I had a revelation: what if the System administered the city in some way.

I knew that beings from the upper worlds didn't have access, or weren't supposed to have access, to the lower world. And even if they did via a weapon, it seemed more like an exceptional situation than anything else. Thus, I could only look to the System as the culprit for this perpetual chaos, and a strange intuition suggested that I had already come to this conclusion in the past.

However, much to my chagrin, I didn't understand the System's process, having only a deep conviction of vague origin as evidence. All this information was really driving me mad. What exactly was going on? And why now? Two unsolvable problems haunted my mind with an unsettling presentiment. No, I didn't want to go deeper into it, as it was bound to be absurd.

So I resumed my train of thought, putting aside this puzzling apprehension for the moment, concentrating instead on a startling deduction. Not a single person from the battle of ten years ago would be alive today. Of course, anyone who crossed the path of the revolver's owner would surely die an agonizing death.

But even if there were other witnesses far enough away to discreetly flee the scene of the massacre undetected, they would be dead today. Indeed, even if the person had just been incarnated into this world, they would have died not very long ago, given that the maximum age for people is ten years.

Again, this age represented the case where the person didn't die of gang warfare or other afflictions linked to city pollution. It was, therefore, a representation of her longevity, except for me and my apostle. Although I wasn't sure whether my sister simply had a great natural longevity or whether her resurrection by me had altered her longevity as a side effect. Perhaps it was both.

I was amazed and delighted by this state of affairs. Now, no single person left in this town knew of our intrusion and former actions. And even if some people had understood that we had come from outside and passed on information about us, it would have become so distorted over time that no one would have suspected our origins.

Despite this, a fleeting thought tarnished our newfound cheerfulness. Had we really managed to sneak into town? Had we left no lasting trace? Ever? And what about the higher beings? What if one of them had spotted us, perhaps because we were acting strangely in their eyes? All these questions created unavoidable and disconcerting doubts in my mind.

Doubts that would undoubtedly have consumed me had I not been brought to my senses by my sister, noticing almost immediately the dubious look from this stranger to our stranger. Indeed, we had to come up with an answer so as not to be unduly suspected by this stranger. I could only convince myself to leave this hypothesis in abeyance while calming the anxiety and fear that grew within me.

"That's an interesting perspective. In any case, you are well-informed and perceptive. Given your skills, it's quite a shame that a gang would reject you. In fact, I would have come to the same conclusion. Seeing someone who doesn't blindly admire the gods makes me quite happy. Who does, however, know what's going on with them. God's drawings are pretty mysterious.

As she spoke her second sentence, the stranger's eyes twitched for barely a second. A split second increased my suspicion of her intentions towards us. Yet, at the same time, her confused expression during the rest of the speech left me doubtful. Was she aware that we suspected her? Was she putting on an act? Or were her reactions completely natural?

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

The more we conversed, the less I could determine what tone to use with her, and my sister couldn't help me there. She was as confused as I was by the mystery this human represented and whether she could be converted into an ally if she proved helpful enough. Or if she was too great a threat factor and we needed to eliminate her as quickly as possible. Either way, my magic was ready at a moment's notice.

"It's true. God's intentions may be impenetrable to us. It also pleases me to see someone a little more intelligent than this swarming mass of brainless criminals. They'd have kept me around otherwise. Still, they really are pitiful, after all."

They seemed a little bitter about her ousting from her gang, even if she didn't like them very much. She indeed had a particular pride back then and a specific character that you wait to pick up on. Even if the atmosphere was tense, I was always happy to recall her memories. That is, until now, because what's to come will be complicated in many ways.

My sister could only nod in agreement, continuing on our way. But soon enough, the urge to ask more questions arose. After all, we wanted to know the name of this stranger. And although she would certainly give a false name, it would still be convenient for communication.

So, barely half an hour after our last conversation, my sister and I were confident enough to ask that fateful question:

"I've been thinking for some time now that we still need to finish our introductions. Please do me the honor of your designation. What would you like me to call you?"

My sister then turned utterly to the stranger, trying to create the most serious and determined expression possible. And given that the latter, in return, seemed to stare at her with a composed, expectant air, the message was well received. My apostle breathed in one last time, trying to calm his anxiety, before exclaiming.

"I see... It might be necessary since we're bound to travel together for now. So be it. But the question applies to you too, doesn't it?"

She ended her dialogue by squinting as if to probe our intentions with this question. Fortunately, the discomfort caused by her sharp gaze disappeared as quickly as it did. My apostle had no choice but to smile in approval.

And so, after a few more seconds of looking my sister straight in the eye, the stranger dropped her scrutinizing gaze. She remained pensive for ten seconds, then smirked as she gazed deeply into our eyes, revealing herself to us.

"During our journey, you'll be able to know me as Nalys."

"For me, it will simply be Ælia.", my sister replied, definitively defining our public name.

And so, our introduction was now complete, and we resumed our journey into the unknown, hoping to come across a feeding ground as soon as possible. And our hope had satisfied us, for we eventually came across some food, albeit not under the most favorable circumstances, far from it.

This was barely two hours after our last conversation as we wandered further and further across a landscape of death and desolation. The only sounds around us were the faint rustling of the wind, the repetitive crackling of some damaged tool, and the trickle of some toxic water scented with the remains of corpses dissolved in it.

Noises that slowly tormented me with their omnipresence. Everything was always the same, and I struggled to hold out hope that I'd get fed up with all this noise one day. And unfortunately, even if my apostle plugged his ears, the noise resonated within me as if the melody came from my very being. A sweet song of which I was a prisoner.

I begged to stop this monotony. These sensations, landscapes, doors, corridors, and humans are always the same. Wait!? What!? Suddenly, I emerged from the throbbing depths of my being, intrigued by this. Fortunately, I wasn't the only one, as my sister hid before I could give her any orders. Speed is a genuinely undeniable quality for survival in this place.

The same could not be said of Nalys, who came within a whisker of being spotted by the crowd of humans in one of the adjoining rooms. We could have gone around them, but Nalys insisted on taking their food. We had no choice but to attack, as I, too, wanted to test my new abilities.

And there was nothing better than a confrontation, especially as the small group of humans seemed isolated. And given that this was the first time we'd encountered any of them, apart from Nalys, I was confident they were scarce. Moreover, we'd certainly have no chance of running into them again, and experimenting with my new abilities would be more dangerous in the typical city. All in all, it was an ideal opportunity.

So we emerged from our hiding place, making as little noise as possible, moving ever closer, slowly but surely, as the sound of our footsteps was masked by the strong wind. We took one last look at the fifty or so humans. Fewer than last time, but it would do.

The humans were unloading goods into bags, boxes, and furniture. All this much-worn equipment was probably salvaged from the rubble nearby. On closer inspection, the goods were little more than miscellaneous tools, a few scrolls, and some provisions.

As we turned, only Nalys' sharp eyes fixed on them like a wild animal reveling in the thought of its future prey could be seen in our field of vision. I'm not going to lie that I felt a little shiver at the sight, which I shared with my sister, who instinctively moved away from our traveling companion, her face slightly pale.

I returned to my thoughts, perplexed by the plan we'd been forced to accept. Nalys didn't want to fight them since she had no weapons, and her role in her former gang was not that of a fighter anyway. While this was a valid reason, it posed a problem for our secrets. Indeed, if my apostle and I attacked, we'd have to show Nalys our powers.

Nevertheless, we had no other choice for the moment. Especially since the solution was obvious: to make Nalys another subject of an experiment. One more death wasn't going to upset anyone, especially a human excluded from her gang. Although the idea of her death was seductive and comforting, I turned away from it, not having yet concluded whether she was practical enough to be irrevocably recruited into our group.

While I was lost in my dream, Systalia woke me up, wanting one last confirmation of the plan. I could only agree, scanning all the weapons in the enemy camp and the exit doors. My apostle then signaled to Nalys to begin the confrontation. Finally, my sister and I got ready, activating our magics and grabbing the scrolls hidden in our bags.

As we emerged from our hiding place, I took the opportunity to check something. So, I activated my evaluation skills; although I concentrated only on Age and Authority, the other information was irrelevant. Here are some partial screens of my evaluation skills:

Evaluation skill screen ❢

Age〖 5 〗｟ Max: 10 ｠

Authority〖 Impossible 〗

Evaluation skill screen ❢

Age〖 7 〗｟ Max: 10 ｠

Authority〖 Impossible 〗

Evaluation skill screen ❢

Age〖 6 〗｟ Max: 10 ｠

Authority〖 Impossible 〗

These were the only three possible screens since the only changing value, Age, only took on three different values. And it was a rather intriguing piece of data, suggesting that the people in the gang groups weren't too far apart in age. I could only conjecture that gangs were made up of generations. However, to support this hypothesis, I needed to accumulate more data.

But that wasn't all. Like Nalys, they had no Authority level. So, even if the people there developed magic for some reason, it would be unusable, possessing no Authority to influence the World with it. In short, an ordinary person would have no future other than to remain warring in these dumps and slums, dying in general indifference.

As I contemplated my chance of a potentially brighter long-term future if I gave myself the means, I could only refocus my thoughts on the impending battle. Indeed, my apostle had still just emerged from hiding, trying to run with difficulty, attracting the attention of all the humans present. Immediately glimpsing my apostle's objective, they armed themselves and took up fighting positions.

But we would need more than that for us. I triggered my magic to their despair when I was close to fifteen humans. I immediately felt a change in my magic that made me smile inwardly. My mana reserves had swollen a little, allowing my magic to cover a wider perimeter while drawing on less Void's energy.

As a result, I spread my magic over an eight-meter radius, the new limit at which a slight burnout could begin to be felt. The poor souls only had time to try and understand what was happening as they were engulfed by the most desirable madness. Watching their bloody race across the room, the other gang members could only run in terror.

The stunned look on their faces as they stared at us satisfied me with joy. I had expressed a new emotion in my innermost being, for at that moment, I was truly joyful to see them as my prey. Knowing that I would absorb them into myself, my Void, my essence, my magic, my skills, filled me with joy. Somehow, their energy would feed my Void and, by extension, my Identity.

I felt as light as a feather, but I never lost sight of my other goal, even in my altered state. Out of the corner of his eye, my apostle watched Nalys every few seconds, looking sometimes shocked, sometimes puzzled. The latter expression left me doubtful myself since, in this situation, it seemed somewhat incongruous.

I could only remind myself that I could take care of his case later. But first, I had to clear this room of the rest of the gang. Even if they were scattered, that didn't stop me from collecting them individually, although to have enough mana for everyone, I had to be as close as possible to the victims.

Indeed, the repetition of magic consumed much more mana than magic with a larger radius invoked only once. In short, as long as I was close enough to the target, my mana reserves would suffice. In any case, the bravest were already coming to my aid by attempting suicide attacks against me, their eyes filled with despair, tears even coming out of their eyes.

But fate wasn't so kind to them: no sooner had they come within a meter of my sister than they were consumed by madness. My apostle was a vector for a deadly disease. At least, if madness could be counted as such.

What's more, insane people became my allies, going out to kill anyone in their field of vision other than my apostle. The only constraint here was that I had to move towards people dying like this to bind them to my magic before they died if I wanted to recover their bodily energy at the end of the massacre.

That's why the only problematic people were those who quickly scurried to the next room without encountering any crazy people, hoping to lose me. Although these cases were very few, numbering no more than a dozen. In fact, there was one last case to consider: those who were too stunned to move were the easiest to deal with.

The only thought of pity that came to me during the slaughter wasn't even for all those people killed, the senselessness of the butchery, or the probable trauma caused to Nalys. No, it was entirely for my sister, who must indeed have been sad not to have had the opportunity to train her magic then. I promised myself in her heart that I would also strengthen her in anticipation of more challenging battles.

But for the moment, I could only feel euphoric at the idea of having been able to eliminate so many people with such disconcerting ease. This was my only temporary comfort in the midst of this bloody landscape, these ruins forever marked by the tragedy of this place, and my dear new comrade staring at us with a look that gave no indication of her intentions.

In the end, I would never have known the exact reason for the presence of these humans. Perhaps they'd returned to these desolate lands for some unknown reason or miraculously escaped the revolver-holder's grasp. However, in the latter case, they were actually unlucky in their luck, meeting a more gruesome and depraved death with me than with anyone else.

And with these last thoughts, this admittedly sordid spectacle ended, but nonetheless seen as necessary by my past self and, I'm not sure, by my present self. Don't you agree, dear System?