265. Looping Branches (with Poll) (Patreon)

C265 - year 263

The year began with a rare congratulations from the system.

[Domain assessment completed. Faith computation completed. Congratulations on reaching Level 250. Thank you for waiting, the system needed to coordinate availability of administrators. We will now start the the special event. ]

Then, I was brought into a strange room, where I met a very familiar old man. I wasn’t entirely human anymore, I took the form of a tree, more than a man, even if there was a man at the center of it all.

“Matt.” The voice sounded exactly the same as it was when I started.

“Mozart.” I didn’t know why, but his name was imprinted in my head.

At that moment, another different old man appeared. Mozart raised his hand, and presented his friend. He was just as old. “This is Bach, my superior.”

I nodded. It felt weird to nod after so long, but it came as naturally as breathing. “It must be important for me to face two of the system’s administrators.”

“We come offering you a pact, as required by the System.” Bach said frankly. “It is a choice, first and foremost. I want to be clear that this is a choice.”

I nodded once more. “Go on.”

“For every soul that reaches level 250, and meeting relevant faith requirements, hero or otherwise, we offer a pact with the System. In this pact, you will no longer gain experience, but instead, your soul will be moved from the [Experience System] to the [World Faith System].”

Of course. I once wondered what the gods were.

“If you accept, under this system, you will gain various powers, such as the power to summon your own [Heroes], subject to your annual faith point availability. Each world you rule generates a certain faith value, and worlds marked as your Core Worlds generate more value. The Faith points can also be used to open portals, bless your minions and followers, or spy on other worlds. You will also gain a spectral form that allows you to move between worlds where your faith is strong.”

But I remembered that conversation with Aiva. There was a catch. “Tell me more. What are my duties?”

“You will defend worlds with your followers. You will summon heroes when there is a demon king.”

“Define defend worlds. Tell me the details. What happens to me, if I say yes?”

Bach nodded. “You are required to contribute faith points to the hero summoning pool, which will be used to summon heroes. Each world is measured in distance to you, and the further those worlds are, the higher the faith point consumptions will be.”

“What if I have no followers at all?”

“As a god, you die.”

“How many followers do I need?”

“It’s- arbitrary. The system calculates a sustenance value and if you drop below that, you will weaken over time and then die.”

“Damn. Even with my protections and clones?”

“Yes. Some of your abilities will be remade in order to fit under the World Faith System.” Bach explained. “Some benefits will be lost, but some gained.”

I paused. “Why do the other gods accept this system?”

“Because it allows them to be everywhere, instead of just one place. Most of the old gods were from the first living beings, in an era where magic was turbulent, and the myriad worlds were much smaller. Yet, over time, the worlds expanded, and the old gods struggled to protect their people from the incursions of the other gods, and later, the demons. So, together, the [World Faith System] was made, a pact between the [system] and the old [gods], to allow them to continue functioning in an expanding world.”

I realized that since this man was willing to give a history lesson, this was the best time to ask. “What are the demons? How were they made?”

Bach clammed up immediately. “I cannot answer that.”

But if they were around since the era of the old gods, that meant they were a long time ago. “Can they be defeated?”

“I cannot answer that.”

“Can you tell me about history. Why is the world expanding?”

“System momentum.” Bach answered. “The expansion is driven by subtle repulsive energies of the void. This will continue until the void can expand no more.”

“Wait.” I paused. “How did the gods ask the system to create a new [system]. How does that make sense? Can it still be done today?”

Bach paused, before nodding. “Yes. But it requires significant and majority control of all populated worlds.”

“Explain.”

Bach paused, before explaining. “In Earth terms, each planetary Core is a node, and a vote. A right-to-vote. A right-to-petition. Control of the majority Will of the Worlds allows the gods to subconsciously, or consciously, submit changes to the system, and change how things operate. The bigger the changes, the more votes from all the cores will be needed. Most changes, racial creations and so on, will not require significant votes. But creating new systems, creating entirely new rules on how powers work? Forking the system? That needs significant control and influence over multiple worlds.”

“I don’t recall ever- voting?”

“The cores collect your responses subconsciously.”

“Wait- can’t we delete the demons this way?” I asked. If each planet is essentially how the [System] responds to changes, it should be used offensively.

“I cannot answer that question.”

“Alright, I get it. I can reach multiple worlds with my current abilities, why don’t the gods do it..”

“They couldn’t. They were not trees or corals that could clone themselves, and so, they changed their forms to accommodate.”

“The [World Faith System] came later?”

“Yes.”

“And most gods are on it?”

“Yes.” Bach answered.

“Are all gods on it?”

A long pause later, Bach answered. “-no.”

I paused. If there were gods in the old system, they would be Powers in their world. Incredibly, incredibly powerful, but likely, constrained to a single world. “What happens to all my powers?”

“They will change.”

“What are the other benefits?”

“Quasi-immortality. Just as you die when you have no believers after a certain period of time, you cannot be killed as long as you have enough believers. Faith points will allow you to attain immortality, and regenerate any lost or destroyed body.” I could see why some gods took it, especially if they had no means of immortality prior to this. But that was of no value to me.

“That’s it?”

“Power of the World Faith System. It is a very powerful system that harvests the emotions, faith and beliefs of those who believe in you. Each temple, each faithful generates these faith points, and you can spend them to generate miracles, summon heroes, create worlds, open paths across the stars, and even permanently link worlds together. The power to create more classes, awaken more powers-”

Again, powers that the current system could offer. But, if there are other systems, then surely there are more. “Are there other systems- other than these two?”

“-yes. The Demon’s system. They grow in strength over time.”

Shit.

If the demons have their own system, it meant they were significantly more powerful than I expected. I didn’t realize when I said it out audibly, much to the chagrin of the two system administrator’s present.

“Well, some wouldn’t consider them to be an entirely new system- but they exist on top of the existing Experience system.” That’s why their souls are different. Their system has modified it. “But with each additional world they control, they get a bit closer to making more profound changes to the system.” Bach said.

It explained why they captured worlds.

“And so- what do you think?”

No.

It was clear to me since the day I met Aiva, that whatever they had didn’t give them a path out of this. I could seek their help, but their hands were tied. But they could offer it to my domainholders, when they reached Level 250. They could be new gods.

Bach paused, somehow reading my mind and then was quick to explain. “Your companions will wither and die. They must create their own faith, and grow it to a critical size. This option is not available to those without their own faith, even if they reached level 250.”

“-I see.” If Lillies reached Level 250, they could be one. Or Zhaanpu.

“Must I decide immediately?”

“Yes. The system only offers this choice once.”

“That doesn’t seem fair. I can’t even discuss it with my team?” I asked.

“The old gods, those old powers were not the kind that kept a council.” Bach smirked. “It never occurred to them to do so, when they petitioned the system to create this subsystem many eons ago.”

“Then- is there an option to revert back to the old system?”

“The old gods were not the kind to believe that they make mistakes.” Bach’s grin was frankly unmistakable. “I believe they still don’t think they made a mistake.”

That sealed it for me. “Well, no. I don’t like it.” And I didn’t need the immortality benefit. Not when I already had it. The fact that it was a created system, instead of the original system, suggested that it probably wasn’t as well made, either.

“Confirm rejection?”

“Yes.”

“Good. The old pact of the Old gods has room for improvement. Too bad those in it are no longer able to influence how the system developed. The basic Experience System continued to evolve over time as each node submitted and petitioned for changes, while the World Faith System remained largely the same system as it was made eons ago.” Bach smiled. “You will be receiving your level 250 [Subdomain] choices now.”

“You could’ve just said so.” I said.

“The Pact required me to offer it as a choice.”

***

I was brought back, and the choices appeared immediately.

[World Faith System migration has been rejected. We will now display Level 250 [Subdomain] choices]

[Subdomain : The Dark Void]

[You gain the ability to see worlds that are shrouded by the voids, and also void worlds, and plant your clones on them. Your clones will not be consumed by the void. Your mana potatoes will now be able to store void mana with no loss or decay. Clones on the Void Worlds can harvest void mana. You are also now able to access the Void Layers, which are different ways the void appears, and can share it with your void mages. The special class [Voids of Aeon] will be created, and [void mages] can unlock them. Voids of Aeon can travel in the void layers]

[Void worlds can only be safely explored by those with void magic protection.]

[The Dark Void will link with your fellow Void domainholder, amplifying her abilities and allowing her access to all your new Void abilities]

[Subdomain : Treenopticon]

[You gain the ability to see through your familiar, your beetles, and anyone with an aeonic class. In addition, you can also now see through your flows of mana. You can now communicate telepathically with anyone in the world, wherever they are in that world, regardless of distance, so long as your clone or avatar is present in that world. Your mind reading tree’s range will now cover the entire world. Each of your Clones will also now function as the enhanced equivalent of a Grand Mind Tree, granting significant automation, and computational power.]

[Mages, domainholder linked through your Treenopticon will able to leverage on your range, granting them ability to cast spells through your network of trees as if they were there personally. They will be able to see and cast spells through your avatar, clones, or trees. Domainholders may not use domain tier abilities through Treenopticon.]

[Subdomain : Unity of the Pantheon]

[You gain the ability to form links with your fellow pantheon members, and express your combined powers as though you are one. The effects of all the levels and base stats of the pantheon members will be combined additively. This power will require a willing mortal host. The host’s endurance depends on his level, and the amount of power used. Domain holders that serve as the host will be significantly empowered by the combined powers, but will need to undergo intensive regeneration after each use]

[At level 275 and level 300, you may return to select another of these branches. Choices available at level 300 will be deferred to Level 325 if you elected one of the earlier subdomain choices]

***

“Shit. I want all of them.” Stella said.

“The question is, which first? Which helps us get ourselves across the line faster.” Lumoof thought.

“Can we first talk about that World Faith System?” Kei immediately stepped in to speak about it. “There is an entire system out there that’s only available to gods?!”

Lumoof frowned. “I believe turning it down was the right choice. We’ve seen the consequences of the old Gods’ method of work, and it’s not great.”

“But- think about it for a moment. Functional immortality!”

“A power Aeon grants to us.”

“Not every society of gods has an Aeon.” Kei countered. “But seriously- are we seriously getting power of friendship with that last one?”

Lumoof chuckled. “I suppose my prayers did come true.”

“You’re hacking.” Stella smiled. “But it would be amusing to raise one of us to be one of them. It also implies that it is possible to alter the system, if we control sufficient worlds.”

Lumood nodded. “I cannot recall ever seeing the system change, but the fact that it has, it might be something that occurred so slowly over time that no one ever noticed.”

“I agree. If subtle changes are applied over a long period of time, we wouldn’t even feel it. We’d confuse any changes to our abilities to our higher levels, age, or just upgrades to our skills or our class.” It was the equivalent of environmental changes. It occurred so slowly that natives would adapt.

The system must have been different, many, many years ago, the core principles unchanged, but the nitty gritty aspects may have changed. Those outside the system, such as the Gods who are on the [World Faith System], may not notice such changes. Technology’s effect would bleed in slowly, as the [System] absorbs such changes.

Lumoof sat, and thought about it for a while. “Bitu may be the candidate closest to achieving conversion to the World Faith System. He has an entire world that worships them. Even more than Lillies.”

I soon shared this knowledge with Zhaanpu, Lillies, Aria and Aispeng, and even the Crystal King. I figured there was no harm.

The Crystal King listened. “Lies.”

Zhaanpu merely mulled it over. “It seems we have been played with.” I suppose he meant the fact that the WFS requires the Gods to protect their worlds anyway, so the pact was unnecessary, even if it gave some natives power over the heroes.

Khefri mused. “Nice feeling, isn’t it?”

Zhaanpu’s golden eyes glared at the scorpionoid heroine. She smirked back at him.

“What? The taste of your own medicine is great? Or must it suck be to manipulated?”

Zhaanpu stewed.

Tree Notes : I suppose I cheated by making the three choices loop back, but time is a currency of it's own. Once more, please vote :P Yes. I'm leaving it to the readers again. Because why not.

And yes. I suppose this is an infodump