"Finally, some time alone..."
The words echoed through the white room, where Ryuk sat on both knees, his blue staff placed by his side as he kneeled before the glass table.
His eyes stared long at it for a while, his thoughts drifting here and there before he suddenly inhaled deeply and called out,
"Hey, system?"
[Rebooting Complete!]
[Final Activation Order Given!]
[Tuning All Available History Interface!]
[1%...24%...47%... 60%... 78%... 89%... 100%!]
[Interface Tuning Complete!]
[Hi, Ryuk.]
"Huuuuuu..." A deep exhale left Ryuk's lips as he closed his eyes, before a smile bloomed on his face.
Ryuk had three fears.
"One... the fear of dying.""Two... the fear of losing his heart, lungs, or brain.""Three... the fear of losing the system."
And after waking up in an alien world, he couldn't say he didn't feel fear that the system had gone wrong because of his new integration.
But here it was, flashing with the same golden panel.
The only tad bit of familiarity he felt in this world.
"How long has it been, system?"
[According to the system's calculation, Host has exactly been sent away from the Trial Room in the Niagara Ruin exactly a week ago. It has been two days since Host's damaged body was found, and Host spent five more days in slumber after the integration with the new Annunaki Model.]
[This means the time duration from Host's last awakening on Enderath till now is only about a week.]
[But Host must be careful, as there might be a time dilation—just like how there was a time dilation during Host's descent into the previous Realm, where Host's growth saw a massive increase in strength and also found Asteralaixa.]
The system replied as Ryuk nodded.
"That makes sense. Time here might not be the same as Enderath. A hundred years here might mean a thousand years on Enderath—or it could mean just a day. Aster's realm taught me that much."
"Only more reason why I have to get out of here fast."
"And speaking of getting out fast, do you know how I got here in the first place, system?" Ryuk asked, puzzled.
[According to the system's analysis, Host being told to be sent to the Reward Room only to be sent into this world is not a mistake.]
[This world is part of the rewards of the Trial.]
[Host must have been sent here with a clearly predefined goal, which, once completed, will automatically trigger Host's return by the force that brought him here.]
[Or even likely, Host's stay here has a set duration that is currently counting down.]
"Pheewww..." So this is still a part of the Rewards. But a Runic Trial that rewards a test-taker by sending them into another world... I've never heard of such before," Ryuk mused, as a bit of calm found its way to his heart.
He had thought he would need to go through so much headache, find a jet, and find a coordinate in order to travel back to Enderath.
But now, listening to the system, which says this is still part of the reward and that he would be transferred back once he completed the task required—or after a particular time duration—was more than comforting.
At least he didn't have to think of the complex steps that had to do with getting jets or trying to find the location of Enderath anymore.
"That's really good, system. Really good."
"But now... I know something had really gone west with the fusion with this Annunaki model."
"For one, I'm in a new Annunaki model, and I can't even find my cultivation veins anymore."
"My Primordial Gate has also been sealed off, and I can't reach the Pet World."
"What results do you have from your analysis?"
"Do I still have my Nanobody skills?" Ryuk asked, and the golden panel flashed out once more.
[Unfortunately, Host, all Nanobody Skills that were previously possessed by the Host have been lost after Host's source energy was exhausted and Host fell unconscious.]
"Oh? Not even because I got integrated into a new body?" Ryuk asked, surprised.
[Yes, Host.]
[Your Nanobody skills are run mostly by the source energy in the scales of your Annunaki Model, and Host exhausted them after bearing the attack of the Annunaki Oblivion head-on with his body.]
[Host should have died, but the Source Scales expended their remaining energy to keep the Host alive.]
[Therefore, with source energy being depleted, Host has nothing to kickstart his Nanobody abilities anymore.]
[If Host had awakened in the same body, Host still wouldn't have been able to use the skills.]
[And also, Host has lost the regeneration of his Nanobody—eventually rendering Host's body useless and in need of a replacement.]
[The Host's ability to get infused with a new Anunaki model is an immediate blessing.]
The system said, as Ryuk exhaled.
"Seems like I have no hope then. No point dwelling on what's lost. I can only look to the future with this new me."
[That's the correct mentality, Host.]
[After all, Host really doesn't have anything but his heart, lungs, and brain. So far, those aren't missing or damaged. Host need not worry about anything else.]
[To continue the topic, Host's cultivation veins have not gone, neither has his Primordial Gate or his cultivation.]
[They are all very well available.]
The system said as Ryuk's eyes flashed.
"Where are they then?"
[Host's Cultivation Veins—the Ice Veins and the Void Veins—have all been retracted into the Primordial Gate, and the Primordial Gate itself has been taken away from Host's consciousness to the System's Special Dimension.]
[This was a safety protocol that was immediately implemented after the System sensed that a foreign power was trying to interfere with Host's consciousness and also tried to steal away his Primordial Gate during Host's integration with the new Annunaki Model!]
The system flashed red as Ryuk's eyes widened in shock.
"What the hell!"
"They tried to take away my Primordial Gate!? But why!?"
[The act must have been done by the one who integrated the Host's body with the new Annunaki model.]
[And according to the System's analysis, it must have been done in order to…]