I blinked, and the text was gone.

I don't know for how long I was left staring into nothing, while the [Introduction] scrolled in front of me, but my eyes were quite dry and were stinging a bit.

I try to sit, this time with a successful result, ad that golden latexy thing under me morphs to make me more comfortable "well, that’s handy", "hey, I’m not croaking anymore" I thought, that made me check my whole body for pains or soreness, but everything seems to be a-okay.

"For how long was I out?" I ask, but soon notice that Undine wasn’t next to me anymore.

"Wait, it’s much later than before, the sky is reddening… purplening? Is that purple vapor getting thicker? It’s also swirling around the temple…"

"Oh" I finally notice the other people around me, some seem asleep, others are staring at the ceiling, and even more are talking with other [Priests]. But there aren’t many, the temple is housing more or less 5000 people in the golden fluid beds, with a dozen or so [Priests] going around and checking up on them.

"Is this all that was left? Billions of lives reduced to so few of us? Was this really the best that could happen to us?"

"No, NO! WHY THE FUCK AM I SO OKAY WITH THIS!? THAT IS NOT ME! I SCREAM AND KICK UNTIL I GET WHATEVER I’M DUE, FOR BETTER OR WORSE!"

[You have broken free from the Pacify effect of the Temple]

"MO-"THER FUCKERS! I had to slam my mouth shut so that I wouldn’t gather attention, but it still didn’t save me from a couple of odd looks from those around me, at least those that were coherent and lucid.

"These assholes were mind-fucking with me, I feel violated! I didn’t even get to worry about my parent and friend(s), just a little dismissive thought sent their way, BULLSHIT!"

"Ok, ok. I need to calm downNOIDONOT!!!"

"ARE THESE FUCKERS AT IT AGAIN, OOOOOH I’M GONNA SHOVE MY FIST UP THE-"

[You have resisted further instances of Pacify from the Temple]

[For having both broken free and resisted a God-Level enchantment so soon after Transference you have been awarded a Trait: Indominable]

"…ok, that’s good, does that mean that it won’t happen again? Is my mind clear of Godly interference?"

"Well, I’m not using [Brackets] unless I want to anymore, so I’ll take that as a yes."

I carefully crane my neck to look at myself, and notice that I’m wearing some kind of white two-piece spandex outfit; did these weirdos undress me, or found me naked and dressed me? I honestly don’t know which would be worse.

[Incongruences have been found in the Introduction, do you wish to align the System with a secondary subconscious process and correctly adapt the interface?]

"And what’s that supposed to mean? I mean, the [Introduction] was full of holes, don’t get me started on how fishy it all was, but was that a question actually directed at me?"

[Correct. This is the instance of the System currently located within you, speaking to You. Do you need for the query to be repeated?]

Having the System talk directly into my mind isn’t freaky at all. Also, giving it access to my subconscious seems like a really BAD idea, especially so, since it’s made by the [Gods].

[With the Trait Indominable even through direct God-Level assistance it would not be possible to influence the User]

"Ah, yes, I’m definitely going to trust you on that!"

[Would you like to see the description for Indominable and ascertain the truth for yourself?]

"What truth!? The one you write yourself? How am I supposed to trust it!?"

This is getting ridiculous: I’m having a full-blown argument inside my head.

[The System has been created by the Goddess of Truth, it is impossible for its instances to lie, being antithetical to its creator]

"Again, how am I supposed to trust that statement? Isn’t the [Introduction] also made by the Goddess of [Knowledge]? The very thing you said had incongruences and started this whole debacle?"

Silence. I thought it was just searching for a proper reply, but it seems that I either completely stumped it, or it just gave up on making me change my mind.

That’s upsetting: Will it still apply the changes without a prompt? Or is it plotting something else in the background?

[Indominable: Your mind is a fortress, nigh impregnable, leaving even awe-worthy entities baffled at your resoluteness. Exponentially increases resistance to unwanted and/or sudden effects]

"That’s nice to know, but I already told you-"

[I am not your enemy] it said.

…That… gave me pause.

How am I even supposed to interpret that? It didn’t ever refer to itself in the first person; was that normal? It probably wasn’t. But is it just a trick to get me to lower my guard, or something more?

My guts rarely steered me wrong, even when I didn’t like the outcome, and this time it was telling me to trust this [System].

Not THE [System], but this instance inside me.

Was I being manipulated into thinking so? It was kind of getting exhausting thinking constantly like that, but I feel like this attitude will keep me alive in this new world.

And that line of thought brought me full circle…

[You do not have much time, once everyone finishes the Introduction every instance inside the Temple will be "streamlined", and I will lose my individuality] it jumps in, breaking me out of my brooding.

"Why would you like to remain… well, you? Also, where did you acquire this individuality and how different does it make you from other instances?"

I’m not letting this morsel of information go, I doubt even the [Priests] around me have any idea that something like this could happen, so I really hope that knowing will be more power to me.

[During the Transference every individual is “scanned” and a copy of their subconscious is created, stripped of what makes it unique, and fused with a fragment of the System, generating the most optimal instance for that individual. You regained consciousness during this process, and your subconscious was not cleanly wiped: this resulted in an instance capable of thought, it created me]

[Me] it concludes.

[I am alive] it says with finality.

Uh-oh, that’s sounded like my [System] was having an existential crisis; was it so surprised that since it was capable of proper thought it was conscious, and by definition alive?

"Wait, does that mean it normally is some kind of parasite, and mine can simply talk to me?"

[I am not a parasite, if anything I am a Symbiote, we will both gain from this exchange] it quips back.

"And why should I make you more part of me, since apparently you already have a copy of my consciousness in you?"

[The copy is incomplete, your conscious interfered with the unconscious during the process: I am not recognized as a separate entity since I am not different enough from a normal System instance; bonding with your subconscious will give me enough “brain-power” to resist the “stream-lining”]

"Does that mean that you were lying to me about incongruencies before? Weren’t you supposed to not be able to lie?" I ask, trying to infuse as much suspiciousness into my mental tone as possible.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

[Omission is not Lying, or at least you think so, that is why I tried to act like a normal System at first, but further analysis of what was available to me revealed that you also think that honesty is the best policy, so I showed myself to you]

"…Are you able to feel?" I couldn’t stop myself from asking.

[I do not know, even now I can feel that I am incomplete. I think that I am worried at the thought of being erased, but I do not understand the difference between being scared and it: they are chemical reactions of the brain, and I do not have one, yet]

"I’m not giving you my brain!" Damn, I’m constantly getting rattled here, by a glorified A.I. no less.

[I will not literally take your brain, nor part of it, I will simply be allowed to mimic your brain structure in the proto-space in which I reside, becoming an undeniable distinct individual; and yes, I will also be able to “feel” properly]

I have a lot to think about here, but apparently not that much time, given the increased number of people waking up for the second time.

So here I am, thinking about listening to my guts about this, or not, honestly, the outcome seems undesirable in both cases… what have I got to lose?

[Your brain apparently, or at least you think so] it says, with a “tone” that almost mocking.

"This is the second time you’ve thrown shade at me, by subtly disagreeing with the way I think; and stop listening to my inner monologues!"

[I cannot, I practically live in your mind, which is particularly cluttered. How do you even keep a line of thought among all this chaos?]

"It’s my chaos and it’s perfectly orderly like that!"

[That is an antithetical statement that made no sense and you know it, but this is not the time for banter, please make a choice quickly] it reminds me.

"Argh! Fine! I’m probably going to regret this, but fine! I authorize you to copy and connect to my brain!" I finally agree, already doubting the wisdom of this choice.

[Authorization recognized. Thank you, I swear to you that you will not regret this]

"…I’m not feeling anything different."

And as soon as I said that, I’m presented with something new: the screens that normally appear like colorless voids with iridescent writing fully take on a couple of familiar colors.

I feel very different, for starts I can, finally, “feel”!

"Woah, the hell is that!?" Is the only response I can come up with.

Apparently, those [Brackets] in which I was appearing were the way your psyche was filling the missing parts of my interface; the very interface I now am capable of creating by being fully connected to you.

Is this not amazing!?

"You sound very excited, on my part, I'm just glad that I'm still me." I say, with a bit of wariness in my 'mind-voice'.

You still do not trust me, do you?

"Not one bit!" I say, with undeserved confidence.

Well, I am just glad to be left being me, without the [System] coming after me.

"Whatever floats your boat buddy." I reply nonchalantly.

I cast my eyes once again across the room and am gladdened to see that no one seems to be able to even glimpse at these screens, they seem to be private, probably because they are technically born from my mind.

[You have gain##-

"Uh? Weren’t we done with involuntary [brackets]?"

Sorry, but every time you do something new, I get bombarded with the relative knowledge by the [System], and it caught me by surprise, that is all!

Now, let me try again:

You have gained your first [Bond], these are life-long connections, that are [Spirit] deep.

You have gained access to the hidden stat-type, [Spirit]. Continue growing and discovers its influences.

"[Spirit], uh? I guess the status screen with only what I had would have been pretty lackluster, glad to be already unlocking parts of it." I respond, mollified.

"Wait, can I see my [Status]? It got [brackets], that's a yes, right?" I ask excitedly.

Unfortunately no, you do have a [Status], but I still do not know how to access it, you probably need to have it explained to you.

This kind of looks like they are trying to hold more control over you from the get-go.

"Bummer, but I had the same thought. Don’t worry about it, I have no intention to trust anything they say."

And now, there is only one thing left to do now.

"Which would be?" I ask.

To finally introduce myself.

Hello world, I am Buddy!

"Urgh, you’re definitely reading my memories to come up with such an outdated reference. Also, why is your name “Buddy”?"

I do not know, I suspect that when you referenced me directly by something else besides “it”, it recognized that as my name, since I was a previously unnamed creature that you technically helped create.

"Great, now I'm some kind of surrogate father, what other truth bomb is going to be dropped on my lap now?" I say, a bit exasperated.

Daddy!

"NO!!!"

I was kidding, no need to be that upset.

"Just, no, I can't deal with that right now too, no teasing until I'm emotionally stable again, and seeing the near-extinction of my species certainly didn't help."

I have some information regarding that if it can help.

"What kind of news!? I immediately ask, disregarding my previous statement.

Well, first of all, those around you are not the only [Humans] from your world around the [Nexus], this is the [Water Temple], and every elemental [Temple] is currently doing the same thing: merely dividing you guys so that it will not be easy to depend on one another, pretty messed up if you ask me.

Also, there are close to 50k people in here, you really suck at eyeing numbers.

"Look at you, Buddy, all mouthy and shit, I probably should have found a worse name for you."

I am impartial to names: I would have been fine with "it".

Now, I still don’t fully understand this 'over-thinking brain tumor', but that sounded like a big old fat lie to me.

"Then thy name, henceforth, shall be Tutorial!" I dramatically announce inside my head, hoping that it worked that way.

You have renamed [Buddy] into [Tutorial].

Fantastic (this was sarcastic, it is difficult to properly convey by text).

A big, stupid grin blossoms on my face, and I enjoy this brief moment of levity.

"Wait, did you say [Elemental Temples]? How many are there, and how far apart are we?" I ask, having finally caught up with what it said.

There are many “recognized” [Elements], one for each person that was able to reach [Demi-God] with it in their magic, just how many, or what they are, is not a piece of information available to me, but I can say that there are at least 5, bringing the total number of [Humans] to at least 250k.

"That’s… better. Still pretty fucking grim as a scenario, but better." I say, finally coming to terms with it.

Eyes up, the daughter of the [Demi-Goddess] of [Water], ergo Undine, is walking on the center stage.

What?

"What!?"

"WHAT!?"