124I gaze around the neat and tidied up, Japanese-styled room, not meeting the woman's eyes who sat in front of me. I try to understand the situation, but nothing makes sense to me. She called here for something instead of just slaughtering me- I'd be helpless. I don't stand a chance against someone who beat him when I couldn't, so why won't she?
Especially not when my system is destroyed. Facing an Admin without a system is suicide. Glaring at my direction is enough for her to wipe out of existence, but even then, I feel nothing. Only surprise that she hadn't done so earlier.
I've accepted my fate long ago.
I am not afraid of death anymore.
"Aren't you gonna ask why you're here?" The woman asks as she puts the teacup back on the table, prompting me to glance at her with a blank look.
Pale complexions, pretty pink lips, a small nose – the textbook example of perfection. She looks like a doll handcrafted by a god to look flawless, especially with that black, silken hair long enough to reach her back, obscuring her left eye as her right one, with crimson irises and icy blue pupils looks at me with… strange warmth I'm unfamiliar with. It's comforting in a way, so I don't dislike it.
She wore a beautifully made black kimono with light blue flower patterns all over it. I'm not a fan of fashion or whatever – I prefer something easy to move around in – but even I can say that this looks great. Wouldn't want to wear one though.
A part of me couldn't believe how different we look and act considering how we're the same person, only from different parallel universes.
Both of us are Akane Amamiya.
"To kill me?" I tilt my head at her. "Finish the job?"
"Hehe, if that was the case, why would you come here willingly?" She smiles in amusement.
"Because I can't escape," I answer with a shrug. "And I can never surpass you, no matter how long and hard I train. Why bother?"
"Fair enough." She sighs. "Well, lucky you then, because I don't plan on doing that."
I blink, processing her words. "Why?"
"Call it paying back what I owe." She says, lifting the teacup to her lips.
"...Then why am I here?" I question. "Did you summon me here just to tell me this?"
"No." She shakes her head. "Simply keeping you alive isn't enough for me to pay it back. No, if I want to feel better about this, then I'm giving you a second chance."
I pause, my brows furrowing. "What kind?"
"I've made you a new system." She reveals, making me freeze. "It's one completely different to what I have, less versatile, but it'll compliment you as an individual quite well. Call it my first attempt at making a system from scratch, but I'm proud of what I made."
"Why?" I ask quickly, still not believing what I just heard. "What's the catch? Do I have to do something for you? Serve you? Does the system have a limiter?"
"There is a catch, but it doesn't have to do with me nor the system." She shrugs. "You'll just lose all the power you have now. You too will start from scratch, growing along with the system I made. Reasonable?"
"Why?" I ask again, this time with a scowl as I stand up. "I don't get it. Why are you giving me a chance to grow as strong as you are? What kind of trick is this?"
She only giggles at me, making me more confused. "You haven't lost that Sociopath trait, have you? So you don't really know how I felt when I discovered that it was you who saved them."
I pause and look at her. "Saved… them? Who's them?"
"My family." She responds with a soft tone. "You have no idea how much I owe you for what you did for me."
"...You're willing to risk everything you worked for by giving me the potential to surpass you because I saved your family?" I say in disbelief. "Are you stupid? What gives you the idea that I won't turn on you and kill them before your eyes? Since when did you become so naive? So stupidly sentimental?"
"Call it what you want." She smiles, unfazed by what I said, before looking at me with a strange smirk. "You'll come around eventually."
"...We'll see about that." My eyes narrow as I sit down. "I'm still not sure how I can trust you. How do I know this isn't a trap? As sentimental as you're acting, you're still me. We both know how twisted we can be."
"I have nothing to say that'll guarantee your trust." She says, drinking from her teacup. "So you have two choices. One: Refuse and live your life knowing you can never become as strong as me, or two: Accept and have the gates of Omnipotence opened for you. Your call."
I pause and think, looking down at my own teacup and stare at my reflection. Red eyes, snow-white hair, an expressionless look, and a younger frame. Being tortured for a few decades nonstop does that to you.
After the previous Admin was killed, I've been left alive by the woman in front of me. I never understood why- she is me. The first thing I'd do is devour her power if I was in her place. Why would she spare me?
Even then, when I was left to wander the multiverse, I felt… empty. I found no enjoyment in training, no fun in destroying, and fighting lost its luster for me. I am a Saiyan, this shouldn't be possible. I live to fight, I live to dominate, I live to become stronger until I reach the high pinnacle of power. I shouldn't be feeling like this… right?
But when I know there is something higher than me- something I can never surpass, I just didn't see the point anymore. I don't care if it's childish or whiny, but I hated having my work amount to nothing. I don't want to settle as the second place for eternity.
To be presented by an opportunity like this by the same unsurpassed entity, even if it's possibly a trap…
Not like it matters if it was. I either die here and now, die later when she's bored of me, or maybe reach the level I was at before.
I'm not afraid of death or torture, so if there's a tiny chance of this being legit, then what moron would I be if I didn't take it?
"Fine," I reply. "I'll play along. What do I have to do?"
"I knew you'd agree." She chuckles before snapping her fingers. "Take these first. My children made them for you as thanks for saving them."
Two objects appeared on the table. First was an overly large, red-tinted sunglasses with a black frame, and the other was a beautiful, pure-white scarf. I tilt my head at them, unsure what to do. These are for me?
"Yes, they are." She nods as if she read my mind. "They're just gifts. You can do whatever you want with them."
I turn my gaze at her once again, my blank look taking over. "So what am I supposed to do now? You said it's a new system. Am I gonna get a guide for how it works, or do I have to figure it out on my own?"
"You'll get a guide once you arrive in your first world." She nods. "But there's one thing I have to do before you leave."
"And that is…?"
"Change your name of course." She grins. "There can't be two Akane's running around, don't you agree? That'll just be confusing."
"Change my name?" I frown slightly. "Why won't you change your name?"
"Because I'm stronger than you," Akane replies simply.
"...Fair enough." I shrug.
It's just a name. I don't really care.
"Let's see, what kind of name would suit you…" She adopts a thinking pose, her eyes squinting as she looks at me intensely. "How about… no, no, that sounds stupid. Maybe… nah, too weird."
I blink a few times, looking at her muttering to herself about different kinds of names until her eyes widen a bit, a smile gracing her face.
"I know! How about Zenith?" She says.
"...Why?"
"Well, you're the first one to reach the Endgame-level, you almost defeated Admin, and your current objective is reaching the pinnacle of power." She lists off. "And what does Zenith mean? Highest Point. I think it suits you well."
I don't really care regardless. I just want my system now.
"It doesn't sound stupid." I shrug. "Whatever. Can I go now?"
"Sure." Akane nods. "Already have a multiverse ready for you. I made some adjustments here and there, but don't worry too much about it. Are you ready though?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," I reply blankly. "There's nothing here for me. Might as well get used to the new system."
"True." She grins. "Well then, you'll feel a bit light-headed right about… now~"
"Light-headed-?!" I flinch, my head pounding violently as I grunt in agony. "W-what… is this…?!"
My vision starts to blur and darken, and I grit my teeth as I struggle to keep myself awake. I growl at the smug grin the Ice Bitch has, and before I lose consciousness, I manage to utter a single sentence.
"That's… not what… light-headed means…" I growl. "You stupid… fucking whore…"
And in the next second, my world turns black.
(Akane)
Are you sure this is wise?
Probably not.
Then why are you doing this?
Just being stupid and sentimental, like she said. Is it gonna bite me in the ass? Maybe, maybe not, but you know, I have a feeling about her.
And that is?
Hm… well...
…Have you ever wondered why she saved them? Why she made sure Carmine and Crimson survive especially? Unlike me, she never had children. She never lost her sociopath trait, so why in the world would she try to save someone she doesn't even know for no reason or benefit?
It's because there was some sort of attachment she developed as soon as she saw them. She doesn't understand it herself- she's still unsure why she saved them. At the time, when I first discovered it, I didn't understand why either. I thought it was because she did it so they may one day save her…
But now I realize that motherly instincts extend beyond any universe. She felt the same way I did the time I saw their faces for the first time, but on a much smaller scale. Once she had enough time to think about it, she'll realize it as well.
She won't try to kill me when it happens. She'll remain neutral, be my 'friend' at best.
You're risking a lot.
Hehe, I risked a lot just to reach the level I am now. What's a more gamble gonna do?
"More tea, mother?" My beautiful daughter asks me with a small smile.
I glance at her matching red eyes, extending my arm to pat her head. "I think I've had enough. Thank you, love."
She leans forward to give me better access until she gets close enough to nuzzle my neck. I love dragons and their ways of showing affection~
I'll make sure to monitor her progress.
Thanks. Don't interfere with her though. We don't want to give her any more reasons to resent us.
Understood.
"I love you…" Carmine mumbles.
"I love you too, honey..."
Let's just hope she spends some time on self-reflection before she tries to fight me. I'd rather not kill her, to be honest.
(Zenith)
I struggle to pry my eyes open, my vision still blurry from what had happened before. Once I focus, I glance around and notice that I'm on a dusty and creaking bed that felt like it'll break with any abrupt movement. I gather my thoughts for a few seconds and adjust myself to sit on the edge of the bed, looking around the dark and dusty wooden shack I'm in.
There's only the bed I'm on, a mirror in the corner of the room, and a small, colorful package that looked completely out of place. There was a door at the end of the room too, but this is it. No bathroom, kitchen, or anything else for that matter.
And is it me, or does the place look a bit… big?
I shake my head, then my eyes widen as a window suddenly appears in front of me. A system window, so this means she really was saying the truth? The system though… it's different. Not what I expected at all.
S-Fighter System Introduction:
Unlike regular Gamer systems, this one relies mostly on fighting. There will be no miscellaneous skills such as cooking or building. Martial Art forms, Ki blasts, fighting techniques, and magical spells are all available.
This system has also been designed to compliment your race as a Saiyan. Race change and gaining skills like older systems will be impossible until the system is fully developed. To develop a system, the user must become stronger and complete as many Normal Quests as they can.
This system also lacks the Gamer Perks, such as Gamer's Mind, Gamer's Body, Inventory, and Observe. All can be bought with the use of AP but will require a tremendous amount.
Heavily nerfed, but it works well with me as an individual, exactly like she said. This is already way different from the system I used to have, and if I want the true versatility of a Gamer, then I'm going to have to get stronger and stronger. Fair enough.
But the lack of Gamer's Mind/Body is concerning. This means fits of rage, mind control, illusions, and so on. Not to mention that my HP regen may not be busted, so no Zenkai abuse. No Observe or Inventory I can work with, but the other two are important.
Let's see what else this has…
Stats Guide:
Unlike the original Seven Stats, yours are split into five instead, with each one having its own benefit. Body, Mind, Spirit, Technique, and Charm, the first three will calculate your total Power Level.
Body – meaning the overall durability and power of the user's body. Physical strength, physical speed, total HP, stamina, and defense will increase the higher level this is.
Mind – User's mental fortitude, as well as the skill and power of their magic. MP pool, focus, and mental defense.
Spirit – Translates to Ki. Ki control, reserves, and power. High Spirit makes the Saiyan Transformations easier to master and handle.
Tech – The higher this is, the more powerful your skills and stances become. Your movement will become more fluid, and your strikes will be harder to dodge
Charm – Your skill in rhetoric. The ability to persuade, seduce and intimidate the target, as well as your overall social skills.
Very different. Less detailed, but there's a heavy emphasis on me as a warrior. I can also choose what kind of warrior I can be too. Physical Warrior where I rely on Body, or a Ki Warrior that makes my Ki attacks deadly. I guess Mind is the semi-replacement for Gamer's Mind, so the higher level it is, the harder it is for others to try and mind control me.
Technique may seem useless, but I know just how important actual martial arts skill is. Simply swinging my fists around leaves way too many openings for my opponent to strike, and if they're competent, then one strike can instantly incapacitate me.
Your stats can be increased by spending AP, or Ability Points. The user won't gain AP from killing mindlessly – only from Training Quests, Normal Quests, or defeating powerful foes. Zenkai Boosts will give the user a large amount of AP, but self-inflicted Zenkai Boosts will yield nothing.
Once one of those stats reaches a certain level, you will hit a wall – reaching your limit. You will be given a special quest to break the limiter, and once succeeded, you will gain the ability to improve the stat again.
Training Quests? So actual training is gonna be a thing instead of just murdering for EXP or AP? This only makes it so it's harder to become stronger. Once I reach a certain level, I can just rampage through some towns or cities or whatever to gain more AP, therefore becoming stronger. It would've cut a lot of my time, but it seems that it's impossible to do now.
But what would the system consider a powerful foe? Someone who I struggle against, or someone who can fight? Can I force someone to grow stronger so I can kill them later for my AP? If yes, then this isn't much of an issue. Sure, it'll take time, but I can train and do other things while waiting.
The Zenkai thing is annoying, but what would self-inflicting mean? Letting someone beat me up counts? Or harming myself with my own attacks? I hate vague remarks like this.
The limit thing… I have no comment.
Skills Guide:
Skills can be gained using AP to practically buy them, but some skills will have level requirements for certain stats. For example – the Kamehameha requires level 4 in Spirit and level 2 in Body. Skills cannot level up, and will not have numerical damage displayed. Ki techniques can be overcharged while physical attacks cannot.
Spells are harder to come by. You may only learn magic under a master or a Spell Tome. Spell Tomes are incredibly rare to find naturally, but Quests will give them every once in a while. Less destructive than Ki, but far more versatile.
Martial Arts forms can be bought, and each one has an advantage. Defensive, offensive, fast, slow – every single form in the multiverse is available in the AP menu. You can switch or mix different forms once you own multiple, and even make your own style.
Transformations can also be bought, but require an enormous amount of AP. The Oozaru form will be unlocked for you already, however, you'll need to spend AP to purchase total control over it. Once a transformation is purchased and you have used it for long enough, you'll be able to buy the "Mastered" version of it, lowering the Ki drain it has by a large margin.
So magic will be the least of my worries for now as I focus on my Ki and hone my martial arts. Fair enough, I never really used magic all that much once I learned how to use Ki to its fullest anyway. The two energies are similar.
Aside from magic, everything can be bought using AP, including transformations. Though, I bet that I also need to reach the required stat level to be able to use the form, like how it said with the Kamehameha. Having Oozaru in hand even while I can't control it is gonna useful. Not like I'm gonna act like a hero-wannabe and be afraid to use it.
A Ki skill I'll learn is the artificial moon. Use it when I feel threatened and crush whatever is trying to kill me. Who cares about whatever I destroy.
Unless it's my home of course.
Quest Guide:
There are three kinds of Quests; Training Quests, Normal Quests, and Limit Break Quests.
Training Quests have different varieties. A physical Training Quest like push-ups or lifting will increase your Body, Ki Training Quest will increase your Spirit, and some will have a dual benefit, such as Meditation increasing your Mind/Spirit. Completing a Training Quest will also give AP to use, and harsher training methods will give a larger amount.
More Training Quests can be bought by using AP. Some will require your stats to be at certain levels or will require certain skills unlocked. Training outside of a Quest will not give you any benefits.
Normal Quests will give AP and yield more rewards, such as items, new techniques, magic tomes, perks, and weapons.
Limit Break Quests will appear once one of your stats reaches a certain level and will be adjusted according to the said stat, giving you an appropriate objective. You will be unable to increase the stat unless the quest is completed.
Hmm, seems simple enough. I'm assuming that Normal Quests mean something like discover what world you're at, or help/destroy the particular faction. Training Quests will probably be something like 'Do 100 push-ups. 100 setups, 100 squats, and run 10 kilometers' or 'meditate for one hour' Straightforward. I like it.
Limit Break Quests… I think a Body Limit Break might have something that'll challenge my physical attributes. Spirit Limit Break will be something related to Ki, and so on. Good, it's simple enough too. So far the system looks a bit weaker, but it's less complicated aside from it built especially for me.
Power Level Guide:
Power Levels will remain relative to the world you're currently in. A power level of 500 in Dragon Ball Z may translate to 4000 in One Piece.
Hm, I see. This makes it easy to understand. I'd be confused if I saw someone who can't even destroy the moon with a power level of 50,000. So in each world, my power level will display a different number.
A power level of 100 here might be 30 in another world.
"What's my power level anyway-" I freeze suddenly, my eyes widening a bit. "Why does my voice sound so high?"
I blink a few times, then gaze at my hands, seeing just how small they were compared to before. I quickly get off the bed and head towards the mirror, stiffening as I see a white-haired toddler wearing an oversized white T-shirt staring at me. I've been… de-aged.
"Hilarious." I scoff with a roll of my eyes. "Whatever. Status."
Name: Zenith
Age: 4
HP: 500/500
MP: 500/500
KP: 500/500
Body: 1 (0/10)
Mind: 1 (0/10)
Spirit: 1 (0/10)
Tech: 1 (0/10)
Charm: 1 (0/10)
AP Stored: 100
Power Level: 8
Four years? Really?
And my name really changed too, huh?
"I'm gonna have to go through puberty again…" I mutter quietly. "What a pain…"
A fluffy, white appendage swishes behind me, making me smile slightly. "At least I still have this."
I wrap my tail around my waist and turn towards the out-of-place package, ripping the wrapping apart before opening the box. First thing I took out were the two items Akane showed me before: The white scarf and red-tinted sunglasses. I put them aside for now, then take out the rest of the stuff.
First was a black, skintight sleeveless crop top, black pants, black boots, and a large black buttoned white coat. All of them are small enough to fit me, a four years old, which made my eyebrow raise. I look at the package once more, spotting a small letter inside it. I open the letter and read the contents.
The outfit is enchanted. I made it so it'll grow with you and repair itself when damaged. Hope you like it~
"I see…" I mumble. "Right, got all this stuff and read the guides. What do I do now…"
From what I can see, I have one hundred Ability Points. I can spend them on some of my stats and buy a few Ki attacks or Martial Arts. I have zero skills right now, so getting at least one range option should be my best bet.
I immediately look over the Ki attacks I can buy, frowning at how expensive they are.
[Kamehameha] – Ki Technique
The signature move of the Turtle School. Generate Ki by cupping your hands together, then release a blue wave of energy at your opponent.
Requirements: Level 2 Body, Level 4 Spirit
AP Cost: 1200
[Big Bang Attack] – Ki Technique
Unleash a devastating ki blast from your palm, annihilating anything in your path
AP Cost: 1000
Requirements: Level 2 Body, Level 3 Spirit
[Ki Flight] – Ki Technique
Use your Ki to propel yourself and float, keeping yourself high up in the air. Incredible for maneuverability and aerial fighting.
Requirements: Level 3 Mind, Level 5 Spirit
Cost: 2800
[Destructo-Disk] – Ki Technique
Throw a disk-shaped energy attack that can cut through almost anything
Requirements: Level 1 Body, Level 3 Spirit
AP Cost: 750
All of the techniques are expensive and have requirements. Final Flash costs almost twice as much as the Kamehameha, even a simple Kiai is above what I can afford. Not to mention, there's no damage value in any of the skills in the menu.
I scroll through hundreds and hundreds of techniques, even ones I've never heard of or seen before, but then I finally land on something I can actually use, as weak as it is.
[Ki Blast] – Ki technique
A simple blast of ki with no form or charge. Decent for quick attacks.
Requirements: Level 1 Spirit
AP Cost: 20
I'll have to settle with this for now.
80 Points, and looking around the shop some more, I notice that most Martial Arts cost only 50 Points. Something like the Saiyan Elite or Turtle Hermit School are more expensive, 100 instead, but most styles are cheap.
Until I saw the real stuff. Six Powers cost 25,000, Elemental Breathing cost 10,000 each, Eight Gates cost 75,000, and so on. So anything that gives supernatural powers cost a lot more then, huh? Not like I need or want any right now.
So if that's the case… I'll just take Muay Thai and be done with it. Won't work well with how small my body is right now, but it's an investment for when I grow up.
That leaves me with 30 points, which I spend on my Body, Spirit and Tech.
Name: Zenith
Age: 4
HP: 700/700
MP: 500/500
KP: 700/700
Body: 2 (0/15)
Mind: 1 (0/10)
Spirit: 2 (0/15)
Tech: 2 (0/15)
Charm: 1 (0/10)
AP Stored: 0
Power Level: 14
"Now that's done…" I mumble, opening my training window. "I gotta find out where I am."
Quest added
[Where the hell am I?!]
Objective: Find out where you are
Rewards: 25 AP, [Ice Needle] Spell Tome, 1 Senzu Bean
I facepalm once I read the reward. I just wasted my AP on that Ki Blast skill when I could've gotten this spell instead. I can't tell if she's fucking around with me or I'm just this unlucky. Nonetheless, the other rewards are good enough, especially the Senzu Bean.
If I'm smart enough, I can get a Zenkai out of it, so I'll keep it until I'm near-death. Unless this is DBZ, none of my enemies will really bat an eye to me eating a green bean when I'm half-dead. But if I'm too slow, then it won't matter.
"Well, I'll find out later," I say. "I'll train for now, in case I have to deal with anyone later."
Daily Training Quest 1: Basic Exercise
Objective: Do one hundred Push-Ups (0/100), one hundred set-ups (0/100), one hundred Squats (0/100), and run for ten kilometers (0/10)
Rewards: 10 Body Points, 5 Ability Points
Daily Training Quest 2: Basic Meditation
Objective: Meditate for three hours (0/3)
Rewards: 5 Spirit Points, 5 Mind Points, 5 Ability Points
I couldn't help but smirk. Exactly like I predicted. I can't tell if it's luck or my counterpart is just too predictable.
I wear the outfit I've been given, including the coat, sunglasses, and scarf. I feel cold even when I'm inside, so the outside is probably even worse. I exit the shack, looking around to see that I'm at the top of a high mountain, snow covering the place around me.
I can't tell if this is some sort of an ironic joke or a coincidence. Really, putting me in a snowy and cold place? Stupid Ice Bitch…
I walk around the place, exploring bits of it as I look for a good spot to meditate and train. I gaze down and spot a large forest inside a huge valley. I can use that, might even find some animals to hunt. No Gamer's Body means I get hungry and thirsty.
It's not really bad in my opinion. Eating good food is great. Too bad I can't get a cooking skill, but no big deal. I'll just kidnap someone and force them to cook for me.
I begin my trek to the forest, making sure to not fall while looking around my surroundings. I don't want to be jumped either- I know nothing about the world after all, and I'm not really strong enough to beat anything up now.
Even then, a part of me hopes that something tries to attack. It's my Saiyan instincts demanding a good fight, but I'm used to it. If anything tries to kill me, I'll act depending on how strong it looks. I don't have Observe nor can I sense Ki, so my instincts are all I have.
Regardless, I'm only going there to train and find something to kill and eat later.
My face stretches into a bloodlusted grin.
I sure hope nothing dangerous finds me~
...Don't ask me what I'm doing. I don't know why I'm making another fic either, but this idea just refused to leave my head. I needed to at least write one chapter so I can focus on something else.
So! Another Gamer Fic! This time following Saiyan Akane, now named Zenith, on her very bloody path to her prime. So anyone reading this, I'll say right now that this might be the darkest thing I'll ever write. This character is what a - sorta - sane Chaotic Evil will be like. She didn't show any evil tendencies in this chapter because there was no chance, but give it a few chapters. There will be a lot of character deaths, brutal carnage, and all that.
Why am I writing this? idk, idea refused to leave my head so I caved in.
If you're new, you've also been warned. I have two other fics that are way more lighthearted than this, so you can check them out. And sorry if you feel confused about what's happening- this is related to my other fics, but you don't have to read them to understand what's happening. I'll keep the confusing parts to a minimum... maybe.
Anyway, don't expect a schedule. I'm prolly updating this on a whim.
Hope you enjoy~