The Lazy System's Path

A year later...

Argen has fully adopted at his new life as a system. Currently, his trainer, was feeding him with additional basic knowledge and the skills he needed to fully do his job well. Although on the outside, he was keen and attentive to every word the old woman said, but inside, he couldn't help but yawn repeatedly.

'Boring. Boring. BORING! I want to sleep!'

He really wanted to hug a pillow right now and get lost in dream world. The old woman, after she finished the lesson for the day, spoke to her student.

"Argen. I know that you are having troubles in learning your new role. You have already used a full year in learning which is quite slow-paced to the majority. The least amount of time they needed to learn and fully master the fundamentals would be at least 6 months, but you... *sigh*. You have already learnt them all, right? Today's is your last shot in completing the final test for the new systems before they are dispatched." She gave him a soft and encouraging smile.

When she had reported about Argen's irregularity, the SA was intrigued and proposed to further study this rare character. They gave him special treatments such as the 6 month extension for learning the fundamentals. However, they were disappointed of his results so far and they could predict, not long after, this irregular will meet his demise early due to his poor intelligence and personality. That's why, they did not take this system into account for deciding his trainer's fate so they had given SA Trainer no. 901 another chance to redeem herself if ever that indeed happens.

It was not Argen was dumb. It was because what he finds boring, he deems it as a joke and a waste of time. Therefore he does not seriously learn it to heart. His IQ and potential wasn't fully used. If not then how in the world did he help his family climb up in social status? He felt it a need to do that. But he did not do it with interest and love but because he wanted to sleep on a more comfortable bed.

During his whole year in the association, he always turn a deaf ear to the incessant ramblings of the SA and pretends he understand everything they teach.

The members going in-and-out of the association had known of him and as they see Argen's personality and poor results as time passes by, they had taken him as a joke. Because of this, the upper echelons of the association did their best to minimize the insults during Argen's earlier stages to avoid him being negatively affected. They wanted the best results and could not tolerate any upheaval in their study. But, as the days go on, they were stuck with disappointment and they did not intervene anymore to the gossips of people around him.

The new members always undergo tests to see whether they are prepared with the necessary knowledge before they are dispatched to a protagonist in a magic world. There is what you call the 'newcomer's graduation' and one needs to undergo this before they are a full-fledged system. If you fail once, you get kicked out by the association and let fate takes its course.

Argen had already failed it once. But because he was special in a way, they let him retake it again after the extended 6 months are finished. Even though the young male did not learn them to heart, the continuous everyday lessons from his trainer had developed his knowledge into an amount that can at least let him graduate.

After SA Trainer no. 901 had accompanied Argen to take the graduation, although she did not expect much, she was pleasantly surprised when he passed it.

"Congratulations Argen. You are now the 18th System no. 901. I will accompany you to the Mission Section to receive your position and for the first time be dispatched to a protagonist where that person will accompany you through life and death." She smiled and lead the way.

Argen plastered a joyous look of a person whom have finally achieved his goals in life. However on the inside, he feels as usual.

'I don't give a d*mn. Let's just get this over with' He thought and followed the trainer.

After walking for a straight 20 minutes, they had finally arrived at their destination.

They proceeded inside the building unhindered and went directly to the room where they handle the new systems. SA Trainer no. 901 gave Argen a goodbye and a small smile before he entered the room.

The place was empty except for the wide hologram with numerous data rapidly scrolling up and down within it. The presence of the pie graphs, charts, pictures, and planets seem to have elaborated the high-tech feeling of the room. There was also a deactivated formation circle occupying the floor.

[Welcome System no. 901 ] A robotic voice resounded along with the appearance of a panel with its spoken words written on it.

Argen nodded in return.

[You shall be dispatched at Planet Hiarga and be the very first system to appear there. This planet is one of the lowest-ranked and it is your job to raise its protagonist well and bring prosperity to the planet. The choosing for your host is random and is not determined early on so do hope for good luck and be dispatched to a genius.]

[While you are currently doing the job, the SA might call for you back to receive missions. If you are idling around, as you have learnt from your trainer, there are different kinds of punishments awaiting for you. Your progress with the host is monitored. The ranking system is fair and has its own ways of judging your true rank and skills among the systems so you need not to worry about you, whose skills and talent is perhaps top-notch, but unluckily receiving trash as host nor the other earlier systems whom, by now have already let their hosts achieved (or not but close) the pinnacle. The higher you rank, the massive benefits you can reap, and the faster you can progress.]

[Oh yeah, I almost forgot. For the protagonist to receive a system such as you they must be a youth, specifically, 15-20 years of age and they must experience a life and death situation where you will merge into him/her during that time. It means they also need luck to receive you. If none meets the qualifications when we send you off, you will be on standby on that world until there is. Any questions?]

Argen was about to nod again but suddenly, something hit him. "But, what do we receive as rewards? What happens if we guide the host to the pinnacle? Wait, is there a specific stage referred to as the pinnacle. What happens if the hosts bring their worlds downfall instead?" He asked in confusion.

[The rewards will naturally differ each mission. For example, if you achieve in letting the host advance to a specific stage, you will unlock a function as a reward and naturally, you will receive System Points that will help you in your stats. Remember the panel for STR, INT, VIT, AGI? It's for that when you materialize yourself for a limited time to accompany your host physically.]

[The pinnacle is naturally the predetermined highest achievable stage the SA has marked for the majority of the protagonists. There are also several times where they exceed that but it is either your choice (or theirs) to continue aiding that person since if you guide your host to the pinnacle, you can receive your freedom and take a shot in life as a cultivator and not as a system anymore. Naturally, you will retain your stats and you will have a massive advantage in the earlier stages as a cultivator. You can adventure and enjoy anywhere you want without being confined by anyone]

[Your last question's answer: If they bring their worlds downfall or if the SA feels like the host is walking down the wrong path in the eyes of their world, naturally, we will dispatch an army to eradicate him/her if the assigned system couldn't handle the host anymore and report it to headquarters. But if all is unreported, naturally we will let fate takes its course even if the protagonist's world is against that person. Only the assigned system can move us to action. Of course, if the assigned system only did that for another purposes, either the system didn't like the host or whatnot, we first conduct investigations before proceeding to take action.]

[It is because we, the SA do not take sides between the evil worlds and the good ones. All we need to do is take those planets to prosperity. But if the system fails to bring the host to the pinnacle, naturally they both died in either murder or natural death. Once the system is dispatched to a host, they cannot be separated anymore until the host achieves the pinnacle, since if that indeed happens, they both die. Questions?]

The young male digested all the information for a moment. He was interested in the topic therefore he naturally learned it to heart.

"Yeah but..." He was stumped with another question for a moment. "What's in it for the System Association anyway? I don't think you're doing these out of selflessness."

Right. Why are they doing this?

If the information panel had a face, it would be smiling with multifarious meanings.

[Power] It said and did not elaborate. [Ready or not, we will send you now] As soon as it finished saying the last word, the formation beneath Argen glowed and activated.

He was caught unprepared therefore his balance was unsteady. Suddenly, his body turned golden and disappeared.

_____

Planet Hiarga.

A teenage boy about 15 years of age was running with his clothes tattered and blood-stained. Behind him was a pack of wolves chasing him with blood-thirsty eyes.

This boy had a wretched upbringing. He was born with a talent close to a cripple and when he was five, his parents died in a war so he grew up experiencing the insults and bullying by his relatives. By 13, he was sold to slavery by his uncles and aunts. His owner subjected him sadistic tortures for entertainment.

When he turned fifteen, his cousin married the owner's child and together, his miserly life worsened. It wasn't until he was fifteen that he blew up in a rage and fought the injustice he had been receiving that the enemies finally decided to get rid of him. They threw him to a forbidden forest filled with nasty powerful beasts and because they disdained dirtying their hands on killing a rat, they sent a pack of wolves to take his life which is what is currently happening now.

Even though the excruciating pain from his multiple injuries held him back, he continued struggling for his life. He was given a head-start (because they find it enjoyable) in running for his life therefore he was able to hold on until now. If it wasn't for that, the moment he and the wolves were released at the same time, he would immediately turn into a pile of gore and bones.

His vision was turning dark and he bit his tongue to stay conscious. But, unfortunately, what he thought was a continuous road, actually had a massive crevice between that was hidden through optical illusion. Added that his sight was blurry and dimming, it was expected that he fell down the cliff.

A small crater was born and dusts were running amok as soon as he hit the ground. His blood splattered and was dangerously gushing out to see the world.

"Oh! A kid? He fell? Oh no. I MESSED UP!!" A voice suddenly resounded and a silhouette of an a.d.u.l.t male appeared from where the boy was. "I can still save him. He's still not dead yet. Phew! If only this martial technique of mine doesn't repeatedly need to make a crevice such as this to advance, he wouldn't have been on the verge of death. Welp. I guess the healing elixir will do the trick." He said and took out a wooden tub, filled with medicinal water, from his spacial ring. He took out a bottle and pour the contents inside. He then picked up the mangled boy and gently placed him in. He raised the tub up to the top and placed him on a cave.

"I'm so sorry! I will take responsibility of my crime!" He said and then activated a formation to guard his unconscious victim.

He took out a token and imbued it with his consciousness placed it on the boy's hand. "If you wake up, find me in the Mystic Water Sect and show them the token. They will immediately escort you to me. I can't bring you back right now." This is what the silhouette said in the token. He went to heal the crevice to connect the two cliffs once more before he cast a guilty look at the boy and took off.

When he was out of sight, a speck of light suddenly appeared on the boy's forehead and merged within it.

[System no. 901. Congratulations in obtaining a host. Would you like to see his status panel?]

"Nah. Later." Argen yawned inside the boy's mental world and floated in a lying position to sleep.

[...] The SA's Informant was speechless.