Detesting The System: Sundering Fate

"Ugh..." The last thing I remember before waking up in this back alley was what seemed like a holographic screen. But, before I could even think of what was happening to me, a familiar voice rang inside my head.

'Rise and shine! It's our very first day in the new universe. That idiot Voidseeker really gave you the worst possible start. I mean if not for the skill you received by accepting me and my system, how would you even live with nothing but a couple rags?'

It was the voice of that girl who claimed to be my Goldfinger. Listening to the girl who seemed like she would never stop talking, I thought to myself, 'God is she annoying… Is this my new life now? I'll have to deal with someone mouthing off in my head even if I'm alone? Mhmm… Oh? What's this~'

[New Mission!

Main Mission 1: Initiating Your Ascent

Objective: Join A Familia

Description: In this world, mortals require the help of gods to integrate with experience and Level Up in the most literal form of the phrase possible. Your goal is reaching the stage of Deities, so naturally, step one would be to enter a god's familia and begin the process of experience integration.

Deadline: 1 Week

New Message!

Voidseeker: Mhmm? Already f.u.c.k.i.n.g with my plans, are you? Fine! I'm reducing the deadlines for all of your missions and adding on to your workload with extra missions to hasten your progress. You better not pass the deadlines on any of your missions, as now that you possess a body of chaos and are on the path to ascension, you'll slowly become resistant to flames of higher and higher potency...]

Taking a second to rub my eyebrows and sit up from my lying position, I can't believe that girl is still talking. She keeps talking about nonsense I couldn't care less about, but luckily, I've trained in the art of blurring out the things I wish to ignore. I can only thank that education system of my past life for this most amazing ability to drown out any unwanted information from entering my head, as I can't imagine mustering the willpower to carry on living with a constant nagging in the back of my mind without it…

Upon reviewing all that I've come to learn since my "reincarnation," it isn't hard to conclude that I must have been transported to the world of Danmachi. The way my stats are organized as well as the mission… if this world isn't Danmachi with terminology like familia, what else could it be? As I did my best to recall what happened in the original story, I cringe at the realization that after I started my path as a writer, I started neglecting and even forgetting some of the works I read in the past. In this situation, I could only laugh at the irony of it all. Who'd have thought that if I had continued on with wasting time indulging myself in my hobby, I would've come out better prepared for this absurdist reality?

I can only recall the names of some of the more important characters, but most of the main story was all but forgotten. Shit… when I really thought about it, there was barely anything I could use at the moment. I have nothing but rags that pass for clothes on my back and that's it! No money, no background, nothing at all! Even the biggest piece of information I could use at the moment was useless as I had no idea where I even am!

Sighing as I stood up, I asked the annoying voice in my head, 'Hey, does your system have a map or something? I could really use a navigation function or something…'

'Nope~ The basic system didn't have one either so don't get mad at me… However, if you want something similar, just use your Skill Conjuration ability to manifest something instead.'

Manifest? What does that even mean? The first thing that came to mind was the thought, 'Shit, if I can manifest skills, f.u.c.k maps. I'd rather get teleportation and kill two birds with one stone!' To my surprise that thought managed to trigger something within my mind and a ton of information really did manifest…

[Skill Conjured: Pinpoint Teleportation (Locked)

1st Degree Prerequisite: Void Rifting (Locked)

2nd Degree Prerequisite: Spatial Contraction (Locked)

3rd Degree Prerequisite: Spatial Manipulation (Locked)

4th Degree Prerequisite: Magic Manipulation (Unlocking...)

Magic Manipulation Unlocked!

New Skill

Name: Magic Manipulation

Level: Null

Description: The ability to manipulate magic. Found throughout the world in various quantities, magic is a component of matter intertwined in everything from the air in the sky to the earth on the ground. The higher this skill, the greater control you'll possess over both your cultivated magic and the magic around you.

Effect: Allows the user to sense and gather the absolute worst quality magic from his immediate surroundings. Range: <10 cm away from the user's body.

Spatial Manipulation can be unlocked at Magic Manipulation Level: A]

Along with the creation of the Magic Manipulation skill, I was given a method of breathing, and though I knew of the precarious nature of my current circ.u.mstances, I couldn't help but try out what I'd learned. I reasoned that spending a couple minutes on practicing the technique was worth the trouble, as I didn't really have anything that required immediate attention. I wasn't really hungry and the sun was currently at its zenith, so there wasn't a chance I'd miss leaving before night came.

Awkwardly, I sat back down in the back alley. I began taking three short breaths followed by one deep breath in a rhythmic cycle. Not five seconds into my bizarre breathing practice, I felt a warmth hit around my navel and five seconds later, the first of this life's never-ending string of Level-Up notifications manifested as a holo-screen before my very eyes.

[Magic Manipulation Has Leveled Up!

Level: Null → I

Effect: Allows the user to sense and gather extremely poor quality magic from his immediate surroundings. Range: 15 cm (centimeters) away from the user's body]