Sylas stood in silence.
This world… it was truly something else. But…
His mindset shifted immediately. The system had been suppressed in this galaxy, but that wasn't because it had disappeared. It had been effectively replaced for a short while.
As for what it was replaced with…
Sylas looked off into the distance, his eyes narrowing when he saw the blue orb of light slowly fading away.
Was that the replacement?
He tried staring at it harder, trying to see through its secrets, and in that moment, it seemed to shift just the slightest bit.
At that moment, Sylas felt his heart skip a bit.
His hand pointed out a finger toward something behind him. A line of concentrated telekinesis, fueled by Aetherflow, rushed out and pierced the forehead of someone.
'It's true.'
Sylas felt it before the energy even reached him.
The Mature Aether flooded into his body… trying to get him to Level up.
The system, it had been replaced by the very same ancient Legendary System that had been in the Split Realm. That meant that he was correct. It wasn't that one system had just been suppressed, but in order to uphold order in the galaxy, it had had its position swapped.
'This is bad.'
Sylas saw a list of benefits immediately, but then his mind moved to Cassarae. Would she end up like him?
Before, the only reason Sylas had managed to avoid Leveling up was because he had Gogo and the others. But Cassarae didn't have a method of avoiding Leveling up. Would she lose her chance at a perfect foundation just like he had?
None of this changed the main crux of the problem as well, that being that he had no method of gaining the Demerits he needed.
Something told Sylas that if he pissed off this system to the extent that he would need to for the sake of earning a Gold Demerit, death would be his only path forward.
There would be no escaping it at all.
This system was far crueler and far less forgiving.
Suddenly, Sylas wasn't sure of what to do. It felt like nothing had changed, and yet everything had changed at the same time.
The two other Chosen were almost certainly the other two on the Titan Leaderboard. But why did this system only choose F-Grades…?
Of course, Sylas wasn't 100% certain, but he trusted his gut now more than ever due to his Luck.
'Maybe…?'
It was possible that those of his level of talent and that of the two ahead of him would leave this galaxy. With opportunities like the Golden Grove waiting for them, how could they not?
That meant the E-Grades and above that stayed behind didn't have nearly the same potential. It was only natural, then, that the Legendary System decided to focus on the three of them.
'There has to be something I can take advantage of. This is an opportunity I can't miss, but… I have no idea what to do.'
It was too frustrating. It felt like he was spinning his wheels.
On Earth, he had also felt overwhelmed like this on several occasions, but because things were so constrained, he eventually lumbered his way down the right path—or at least a path that was right enough for his purposes.
But now… he didn't even know what to do.
Should he continue conquering bazaars? Should he be trying to power up his Contracts since it was easier with the Legendary System? Should he be going into hiding?
But as far as he knew, this Destiny Quest didn't even have a time limit.
Sylas' gaze locked onto the fading blue orb again. Then, it vanished. The space all around it had been completely wiped out—there were no clouds above nor mountain ranges below. It was like a pillar of destruction had fallen from above and cleaned it all out.
And of course… Jala was nowhere to be seen. Sylas had no idea who had triggered this.
As things stood now, the Legendary System was also showing Jala extra hints of favor. Sylas simply couldn't feel him through his Luck at all despite now being well within his two-kilometer range.
Sylas took a breath and closed his eyes. He forgot about the world, forgot about everything.
Pressure.
It was something that he had gotten used to, or so he thought. But these days, it only seemed to be getting heavier and heavier. Even when he had done the impossible and saved Earth, it didn't seem like he ever got a break.
'This is what you wanted, no?'
Sylas had internal monologues all the time. But this was the first time he could remember truly asking himself such a question.
Life had been boring to him. He had hoped that there would be more to it, something to really challenge him. But now he seemed to be complaining that it was too hard, that he needed a break, that the challenges were coming too fast and swift.
So which was it?
Did he want this, or not?
Returning to Earth wasn't an option. The other Chosen could sense him, and all that would do was expose Earth during its most delicate growth period.
He would never rely on the Florineth. The bad taste that had left in his mouth was very much still there. Quite frankly, he would rather die.
"It is."
Sylas didn't open his eyes, but his words were loud and resonating.
This was, indeed, what he wanted.
He imagined going back into the lab, pulling out the same glassware, working on the same hypotheses, having the same small talk, running the same routes, seeing the same skies.
He wanted to conquer something. He wanted to be the best at something, but not just anything, or else he would have come to dominate Earth long ago.
He wanted to dominate something worth dominating.
"I know what to do."
Sylas' Will flared up, a Beast Totem appearing to his back.
His Scorpion Warlord Armor shattered as he raised his head to the skies.
As he opened his eyes, they morphed, becoming slits. But… there was no gold to them at all. Instead, they were weaving strands of shades of green.
It didn't look like he had fused with anything at all, but rather like he had truly become a Serpentes.
Sylas unleashed a roar that split the skies as he charged upward.
In the far-off distance, as though feeling like it had just been challenged, the faded outlines of the blue eye began to reform, locking onto Sylas.
Who was challenging its authority already?