Gale jumped back, holding up the blade in a stance. Behind him, a woman stood, her blue hair flowing, caught in a gentle breeze that didn’t exist in this starlit space. Her slender figure spoke of strength, yet her eyes held something deeper, centuries, millenia of unsaid wisdom. She wore what looked like a lab coat and ceremonial robes that existed in the same space. Intricate patterns woven into the fabric shifted and changed the same as the circuitry in the ship and galaxies of the cosmos.

“My, my. You’ve grown quite impressive since your birth, young one.” The woman’s voice didn’t sound like it came from her mouth. It was as if she talked from inside him.

“Who-” Gale started, but the pressure from the wave of her hand cut him off.

“Vianne, though this is merely a fragment of my consciousness. My true form would…” She tilted her head. “Well, let’s just say your sanity would fare poorly. This avatar serves our purpose better.”

The stars around them pulsed in rhythm with her words.

[Warning: Extreme Danger.]

“You called me here,” Gale said, sweat dripping from his temples and forehead. That was the first time he saw that kind of warning from the system. He was trapped with no way out.

Vianne’s lips curved into a smile. “Of course I did. I’ll call you nephew. Besides, I just wanted to say hi, no? Though technically we’re not really blood related, but still. Now let me look at how you’ve grown.”

She circled around him, feet not touching nor hovering. It was as though reality displaced her position rather than her actually moving. The galaxies and patterns in her robes rippled and spun as she circled him. Despite the overwhelming pressure that radiated from every inch of her being, her gaze carried no malice, only an expression that looked almost like an aunt studying the growth of her sibling’s child.

“That foolish knight took far too long to guide you here. If I wasn’t stuck in this space, I would’ve already slapped him quite a few times.” She pouted.

“You know him?” Gale took a step back, tightening his grip on his new blade’s hilt. Never know with these people. She could also subject him to a harsh life lesson using ‘glory and fire’.

“You could say that. Before the corruption took a hold of him anyway.” She waved her hand dismissively. “But that’s not why you’re here. As your young auntie, I just wanted to tell you quite a few things.”

Here it comes. “About what?”

“The Origin System within you. You could say that you only scratched its surface,” Vianne replied.

The stars around them shifted, forming patterns that reminded Gale of the circuit lines in the ship.

[Origin synchronization: Complete.]

“Only those of Cev blood can access it,” Vianne continued. “And yours, the prototype. A failsafe for the last.“

She created an orb that looked similar to the one he touched earlier and said, “Now it will grow stronger because of this.”

“The last? What? How? Why?” Gale asked. “Does no one want to tell me anything? The knight speaks in riddle things and now you’re telling me something I can’t what?”

She stepped closer, her eyes softening. Her hand reached out to his head, slowly.

Gale flinched as her hand stroked his hair gently. A tear dripped from his eyes. The familiar motion of her hand. Mom always did the same whenever dad had planned something really tough the next day. The softness in her eyes when she looked at him as she did so. Why also on aunt Vianne’s eyes?

“It’s ok, child. I understand you want answers, but some knowledge must be earned, not given. The augmentation will help you survive what’s coming, that’s all you need to know for now.”

“That’s not good enough!” Gale shouted. “What am I supposed to do when no one is guiding me? All my life, I thought my parents had guided me, but I was told they guided me to be… to be a peasant! A mortal! So what now?! I’m not going to wait and have things thrown at me. Never. Again.”

“Feisty one, aren’t you?” Vianne laughed. “The Cev blood runs strong in you.”

She stepped back from him, turning around. Her hand reached up to the stars, turning the galaxies at the wave of her hand. Turning back around, she held up her index finger in front of her mouth and blew millions of stars towards Gale.

[Dainv OS baseline established.]

[Enhancement parameters loading at user request…]

[New skill: Analyze Lv. Max Unlocked.]

“I guess that did the trick,” Vianne said. “That idiot Cev basically could only know what he’s hitting after he killed whatever it was he was hitting. But how can you kill something that’s not living? How is he going to get data then? He was honestly an idiot I wanted to punch his face so much….”

Vianne then looked at Gale. “Now nephew, analyze that sword.”

Gale hesitated at first, being told what to do by a harassing aunt. Though that wasn’t important. He looked at the sword and willed his new skill to activate.

[E-Blade Weber S6L96]

[Description: Standard recruit issued mass-produced element blade.]

[Rarity Rating: White]

[Efficiency Rating: 15%]

[Max load: 100]

[Maker: Erin Weber]

“Now forget about what that stupid knight or whatever said. Doesn’t it feel more like a game now?” Vianne enthusiastically leaned over Gale’s shoulder as he examined the blade.

A skill to analyze and understand the tools, objects, and possibly living beings at his disposal would make things a lot clearer for him.

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it’s taken without the author’s consent. Report it.

Yet something about Vianne’s dismissal of the knight told him of more unsaid words than what was actually said.

“This isn’t just a game, though, is it?”

“Oh nephew, always so serious,” Vianne sighed as she circled around, looking more like playfully skipping. “Sometimes the best way to handle grave matters is to approach them with a lighter heart. But you’re right. This is no mere game.

“

Vianne continued.

“Your friends fight their own battles. You must fight yours. The Origin System will help you face what’s coming, though I can’t tell you exactly how.” Vianne raised her hand as Gale was about to say something. “Not won’t—can’t. There are still many things that I even I do not know. Such as the future.”

“But can you at least tell me more about this system, can’t you?!” Gale stepped towards her, slightly raising his voice. “Dad and mom… were they also like me?”

“To answer your question, yes they were. Your origin… is not very pure. But you’re working on it, so that’s fine on its own. When you get to the next stage, the purity of your origin will be solidified anyway.” Vianne trailed off into a mumble.

“Can you at least explain more of that to me? Like what is this purity?” Gale asked.

“Are you treating me like an info dump right now?” Vianne floated to his back, putting her hands on both sides of his shoulders, eyes looking down at him. “Am I really that easy? You know how these things are in the books you’ve read night and day.”

“No… I’m just asking,” Gale said.

“It’s fine. This is something every young Dainv learns of in elementary school anyways,” Vianne sighed.

She continued, “Every living being in this universe has its own Origin. Even the people that live in your world, even the animals. You are no different from them.”

Vianne looked at Gale from top to bottom. “What makes you different is that piece of Origin from Cev.”

Her grin told him there was more to it than what she had said. The words made sense, yet somehow also did not. What the hell was Origin? Physics and chemistry were his lowest classes.

“So you’re saying the reason why I’m seeing this status is because of that piece of Origin inside of me?” Gale asked.

“The piece from Cev. Small detail, but basically yes.” Vianne laughed, then suddenly turned serious. “Now, Gale. Do not let your parents’ words haunt you forever. They’ve done their duty. And now, you must do yours.”

Gale stared at the galaxies in her eyes, ignoring the headache that came with it. “Why do I have to lead? All I want to do is just live out the rest of my life in peace.”

“Peace hasn’t existed in so long, my dear.” Vianne placed her hand on Gale’s head again. “The journey will be hard. Trust yourself and your instinct. You are not the weak boy that is only meant to survive.“

“So how do I survive if I have to learn everything myself?” Gale asked.

“If you are meant to survive, then you will survive. Even I do not know how Cev’s system works. I don’t see it myself. I just know of its existence,” Vianne said.

“Can’t you use me as research so I could figure out more of it?” Gale asked.

“I’m sorry. I’m just a fragment of consciousness. My real body is dead,” Vianne sighed.

There was no way she could be dead when she was right in front of him and even talking to him like a real person. She couldn’t be dead, and she’s the only one actually willing to give him answers.

“Then do you really think I could do this? How do you know I won’t cower in the face of danger?” Gale looked up at her behind.

“That is something I can tell. If you do cower, then that’s your choice. If you feel that everything is too heavy, just take a rest. No one will blame you for it. Someone else will take a stand against the corruption.”

Even now, he had the urge to run away from it all. To run away from the responsibility and expectations. However, when she said it like that, to just take a rest. Something in him wanted to put in more effort.

He felt guilty. Even though he had the tools to be more than what he could have ever imagined, the journey to the exit rift was… painful. If he could have just allowed himself one day to rest and figure things out, maybe things would’ve been different.

He could’ve been back home.

“Did you send the knight to block me from the exit?” Gale asked.

“Not really,” Vianne tilted her head. “He did that on his own. One way or another, future or present, you would’ve ended up in my plane, pun intended.”

“You’re saying this was all destiny?”

First, his parents forced him to do all kinds of gruelling survival training. Second, the orphanage forced him into submission. Third, this goddamned world that forced him to just survive.

Vianne embraced him as more tears dropped from his eyes. This figure that held him was supposed to be dead, yet her warmth spread through him. The last time someone hugged him was the day he saw mom leave through the front entrance of the orphanage, never again coming back.

Life was unfair.

It made him sob even more. Being alone through all the difficulties. All the bruises, cuts, and broken bones. Why? He didn’t even want this bloodline. All he wanted was just to live with his parents, alone in the forest. Swim in the pool together that he would build.

“My dear. I know it’s hard. Life is difficult and it throws stupid things at you whenever and wherever it can. But you must know that this was not destiny. Through your future adventures, you would’ve found me regardless. I did not force anything, in fact, all I had was hope that you would.”

“Will I see you again?” Gale asked.

“There are fragments of me scattered throughout. In those fragments, you will see me again. Once you touch the orb, my consciousness will sync with each other along with all your memories. And then we’ll have our family time again. Wouldn’t that be fun?” Vianne’s embrace grew tighter.

Something shifted in Gale’s chest as her words settled over him—not just the physical warmth of her embrace, but a deeper warmth that seemed to awaken something long dormant. The headache from her starlit eyes faded, replaced by a clarity he’d never known before. He was conditioned to stay hidden for years. To survive, just as his parents had said.

Maybe… maybe surviving isn’t enough. Maybe all this time, it was just an excuse to… just run away. Even the struggle and difficulties with Rachel and the others, those were… fun.

“I’m willing to fight.” Gale looked up at the stars. Each star twinkled with its own brightness, like there was an atmosphere inside this room. In the beginning, he thought only to be a predator in the forest. It wasn’t enough to take life by its neck.

Gale continued, “I will take my own life on its own course. I’ll make it out of here and go back. I’ll live on my own accord. The knight was right. I’ve been hiding all this time. I was just scared of what people thought, but in that process, I also pushed them away.”

He walked out of Vianne’s embrace, turned around, and looked into her eyes. “Auntie, thank you. I think I’ll try to stand on my own from now on. Although I might trip and fall along the way, I’ll keep standing back up.”

“I wish I could do more for you, I really do. This is all I can for now, young one.” Vianne grinned. “The Origin System grows stronger within you, do not resist its full integration any longer. Let it flow. Trust in your heritage.”

“I’ll see you again in other places. I’ll look for you there,” Gale said.

[Mission: Vianne’s Origin Fragment.] [1/8]

Vianne patted his head again. “Off you go. Don’t miss me too much, ok?”

The surrounding scenery of galaxies faded from his view. He was now back inside what looked like the bridge of the ship.

He looked at the platform, and as expected, the orb no longer sat in the middle.

Then, he willed the skill analysis on the platform.

[Ship Essence capacity: 78%]

[Essence source: NaN]

[Essence remaining duration: 5,544 hours]

[Place Origin Artifact on Platform to charge.]

Gale smiled.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep