NEW FEATURE AVAILABLE
═══════════════════
?[Update 3.5.0 — Item Two]
∣
? Tab C — Chapter
?? The Governed can now access Chapter-related content, including:
• Information about the current Chapter, based on the original storyline
• Known objectives required to advance to the next Chapter
• A record of survivors for each completed Chapter
Rewards are granted to survivors at the end of each Chapter.
Those who do not survive receive nothing.
═════════════════════
Finally, a feature Haru actually liked.
Since arriving in this world, he’d been through one ordeal after another, faced dangers he knew nothing about, and made decisions based on incomplete information. In the end, one of the things that had nearly gotten him killed was precisely his lack of knowledge about the original game.
If he’d known where to find certain resources, which events were supposed to happen, or what opportunities might arise in each Chapter, he could have prepared himself much better.
The System wouldn’t reveal the exact locations of items, which was understandable. Even so, access to information about the original storyline would already give him an enormous advantage. At the very least, he’d be able to get a better understanding of the world and anticipate some of the events that hadn’t happened yet.
Of course, there was a problem.
The information was based on the original storyline, but the Gamers were constantly changing its course. Haru himself had already fought Arwin Corvus, deviating from the events he knew.
On the other hand, those very deviations were what had led him to Yukihime.
Haru pondered this for a few moments.
’Well, not everything could have changed, right?’
After all, no matter how much the Gamers interfered with the story, not every event would necessarily be altered. Some things should still follow the original course.
And even if only part of the information remained valid, it would still be extremely useful.
His gaze shifted to another feature.
A record of survivors?
Haru furrowed his brow.
’Is the System going to reveal our names?’
That made no sense. If the Gamers’ identities were protected, how could the System display a record of survivors without revealing information that could identify them?
’Wait... Then what kind of record is this?’
His mind started racing again, generating hypothesis after hypothesis, but none seemed convincing enough.
’Maybe the System uses our real names... But my real name’s Haru... I’m going to die’
He eventually sighed.
Thoughts upon thoughts...
At least there was one thing the System tended to be generous with.
Rewards.
Haru couldn’t help smiling at the thought. Whatever the feature was, if rewards were involved, it was worth paying attention to.
With that in mind, he looked back at the update list.
There were still more items to read.
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MEMORY FRAGMENTS
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?[Update 3.5.0 — Item Three]
∣
? Tab C — Chapter
? Various Governed have reported disadvantages
from transmigrating into avatars they didn’t
recognize, unlike those who had already played
through the original storyline and possessed
prior knowledge of their characters.
? From now on, XP can be used to unlock
Memory Fragments belonging to an avatar.
? Each fragment reveals deeper knowledge
about the avatar.
? Every unlocked fragment strengthens the
Governed’s Core Integrity.
═════════════════════
’Core Integrity.’
Haru furrowed his brow slightly.
The last few times he’d encountered that term had been during his experiments with Gamer Kit modules, when he’d tried installing the HUD in other beings. And after he’d finished those experiments, the System had penalized him by taking away the curse that allowed him to return to the past after dying.
As if it had realized that, for Haru, that curse was much closer to a blessing.
After all, dying and returning gave him the opportunity to grow stronger, experiment with different approaches, and study his waifus more thoroughly until he discovered the right way to earn their trust.
What might have taken months or even years, Haru had managed to accomplish in just a few weeks.
At least, from Isabela’s perspective.
For him, it had been around five hundred days. More than a year spent trying this and that, testing different possibilities, and learning from each attempt until he achieved the results he wanted.
And as if that weren’t enough, the System had locked itself for all Gamers because of the update.
Until now, Haru didn’t even know whether Chronia’s Curse had been reactivated or was still unavailable.
’Well, I’ll just have to find out later.’
His gaze dropped to the next piece of information.
’Memory Fragments.’
Haru couldn’t help giving a skeptical smile.
At least, he was certain this feature wouldn’t work on him. After all, he wasn’t an avatar. He hadn’t inherited someone else’s body or awakened inside a character whose memories he didn’t know.
He was Haru Mizuki.
His identity, memories, and experiences belonged to him. There was no previous life attached to this body that he needed to recover.
’So why would I need Memory Fragments?’
He was about to move on to the next piece of information when he noticed a small note attached to the feature.
Wait...
═════════════════
SYSTEM NOTE
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• Certain Governed have already demonstrated
the ability to manipulate their own Cores. •
• Some abilities possess power beyond what the
mana system alone can sustain. These abilities
alter reality at its very foundation, not merely
at the surface. •
• For such abilities, Core Integrity is the
true fuel. •
• The consequences of Core Integrity reaching
0% will not be disclosed at this time.
═════════════════
’Does that mean...’
Haru stared at the note as a possibility began to take shape in his mind.
When he’d accidentally tampered with his own Core Integrity, his Core had dropped into the ninety-percent range.
Now, he was beginning to understand what might have happened. The System had classified that interference as an ability. And if his calculations were correct, the same applied to his other hacking experiments, from Maximus, Vandris, and Flavius to that man in golden armor.
Haru narrowed his eyes.
’Wait... Does this mean I never truly escaped the System?’
No matter how much he’d exploited vulnerabilities, bypassed restrictions, or interfered with features he shouldn’t have been able to manipulate, he was still operating within a framework the System could recognize and classify...
’Of course.’
His hacks weren’t necessarily a way of escaping the rules.
They were abilities.
Haru felt a twinge of irritation.
’How convenient for you, System...’
However, it wasn’t all bad. If Memory Fragments could strengthen Core Integrity, then perhaps they could also improve his ability to interfere with the System. He no longer thought the feature was useless.
The two features complemented each other in a particularly interesting way. Memory Fragments allowed him to strengthen his Core; a more resilient Core could, in principle, allow him to perform more complex operations without risking damage so easily.
He still needed to discover the limits of that possibility, but the prospect was promising.
Very promising.
There was, however, another detail he couldn’t get out of his head.
The System didn’t seem to be introducing this possibility for his benefit alone. If Memory Fragments were part of an update available to all Gamers, then others could also develop abilities related to Core Integrity.
Haru let out a sigh.
’Just how absurdly powerful could these abilities be?’
And he didn’t even fully understand what he was doing himself.
His gaze returned to the Core Integrity notice.
He needed to study this feature much more carefully. Above all, he needed to find out whether the Core could recover naturally, like mana, or whether specific conditions were required for its restoration.
Because regardless of what the System intended to teach him, there was one thing Haru knew very well.
Reaching zero was almost never a good sign.
He sighed again and tried to clear his head.
’All right. The updates are over, right? Now I can finally return to my body and think things through...’
A hiss.
Haru froze.
Slowly, he turned his eyes toward the light.
Once again, codes began appearing before him.
════════════════════
NEW TABS AVAILABLE
════════════════════
?[Update 3.5.0 — Item Four]
∣
? Tab M — Map
?? Displays only universally recognized
Safe Zones. Unexplored areas remain hidden.
? Tab R — Rankings
?? Rankings by level: Global,
Regional, and Local.
? Future updates will become available as
the Governed advances in level and Chapter.
═════════════════════
Well... Now that was an update worthy of the name.
The Map.
A map displaying the Safe Zones scattered throughout the world. Haru immediately began drawing his own conclusions. He was certain Eldrath Academy was one of those locations, given its influence and the number of Gamers gathered there. After all, if there was anywhere Gamers could benefit from protection, an institution of that scale would be an obvious candidate.
His only direct experience with Safe Zones, however, had been during the Resonance at the cathedral.
’Fucking Codex Veritas...’
Haru thought about it with a mixture of satisfaction and disdain. After all, he, Genius, and that crazy elf had managed to break a Safe Zone during the Resonance, despite their rankings...
Back to the analysis.
’How exactly would the map work?’
Haru doubted it would be a visual representation of the entire world, complete with mountains, rivers, cities, and territories viewed from above. It was more likely that the System would mark known Safe Zones and provide information about the locations and distances between certain points.
At least, that made the most sense to him.
And if his theory was correct, perhaps it would also be possible to identify whoever broke a Safe Zone’s rules, just as they’d done at the cathedral.
Haru couldn’t be certain. All he could do was wait and find out.
There was, however, one small problem: he didn’t have a HUD, so he didn’t even know whether he’d be able to access the map.
Fortunately, he had Genius.
Even if he couldn’t use the feature directly, having someone capable of consulting that information would be an enormous advantage. Exploring the world would become much easier, especially when he needed to find specific places or plan journeys without relying on information from others.
His gaze shifted to another of the new tabs.
The rankings.
That feature also seemed quite useful, although it raised a question similar to the one he’d had when reading about the survivor records.
’How does the System intend to display the rankings?’
Would it use the Gamers’ real names or the names of the avatars they inhabited in this world?
The second possibility seemed more plausible. After all, Gamers didn’t know one another’s true identities unless someone chose to reveal theirs voluntarily.
Haru still had plenty to think about, but for the first time since the update began, he felt that some of these new features might genuinely make his life easier.
Then, without warning, the tree began to darken.
The colors of its leaves gradually lost their brilliance as the light bathing the space grew dimmer and dimmer.
Haru realized it was time to return.
At last, he could reorganize his thoughts, analyze everything he’d just learned, and, most importantly, start exploring the System’s new features.
All right... Let’s see what I can do with this.
The light went out.
[System locked until the beginning of Chapter 1]
"Ah, fuck! I’m going to force Chapter 1 to start!"