I Hate Systems

The previous night; Kekumi Xetuka was seated in a study room situated at the top of The Aira, a lone tower positioned a kilometre to the northern fort. It had been constructed in the course of a week just to act as a watchtower from where she could keep an eye on Gormana.

Held in her hands was a sword, a Relic that had been passed down their family for more than a millennium. Created by her grandfather, the Pseudo-Relic of that time gradually evolved into a Relic once it reached her hands, having accumulated enough mental imprints.

'The west is already broiled in chaos. And it's only a matter of time before Gormana erupts into an offensive.' She sighed at the thought, clenching her hand into a fist, 'If it's just Garmd, I can defeat him. But if two Saints attack, even I wouldn't be able to do anything. And once I fall, Xetuka would only become weaker. The north would collapse.'

"This war erupted out of nowhere. Just what were the Birdmen thinking? Unless their birdbrains dulled completely, they should know a war between our two Kingdoms would only result in mutual destruction." She muttered, massaging her forehead at the headache spurred by the sequence of events.

"You're right about that. This war is beyond the control of the Birdmen." A voice resounded from the side, startling her as Kekumi Xetuka condensed a fiery blade and thrust it in the direction instinctively.

Clang!

Her eyes widened in shock upon staring at a plain shield that had blocked her sword thrust, not even being singed by the attack. She glared at the party behind the shield, noticing that it was a lady in her youth, a human based on first appearance.

"Who are you?" Kekumi Xetuka glared, tensing up for an uphill battle. But surprisingly, the other party showed no signs of killing intent.

"The name's Yaka," The lady with burgundy hair, Stencil smiled in response, retracting her shield to express her unwillingness to fight. Her lips puckered as her eyes seemed to see through Kekumi Xetuka, "I'm a System Slayer that has come here to save your Kingdom."

"I'm listening," Kekumi Xetuka didn't beat about the bush, intending to hear what the other party had to say, "Do you know something about this war that I don't?"

"Remember the Talon Secret Organisation?" Stencil asked, watching Kekumi Xetuka nod as she continued, "That was just one of the branches belonging to a terrifying entity. Probably a good majority of the Secret Organisation in this world belong to him."

'The Talon Secret Organisation vanished the moment I intended to raid them.' Kekumi Xetuka thought, finding it hard to believe as she said, "Even Apostles cannot wield such an exaggerated claim. And you're saying there's one person that has control over most of the Secret Organisation in our world?"

"Yep," Stencil nodded, "The strength of an Apostle is nothing before this entity. He's a System Slayer too, or rather the first of our kind."

As a Saint, Kekumi Xetuka was obviously aware of Systems and System Slayers, having killed a System Host herself in the past. Of course, that System Host wished to get his hands on Starfall but failed miserably, having underestimated their power.

As she had personally dealt with one, Kekumi Xetuka had considerable knowledge about them. Moreover, it was using that System Host that she was able to elevate her Pseudo-Relic to a Relic.

"The first System Slayer…" Kekumi Xetuka muttered, frowning as she asked, "Are you his representative? Who exactly is he?"

"I'm against him." Stencil reassured the other party, "He goes by the title of Slayer. Currently, it seems his goal is to create the Plague Doctor Profession, and the raw materials for that seem to be the four Kingdoms of this region. All four would come to ruin when this war ends."

"As for his personal strength, he's probably the Human Apostle…" Stencil said, surprised to see Kekumi Xetuka lose her composure and collapse to the ground.

"S-So, that means…" Kekumi Xetuka muttered in horror, "The entity I had been trying to seek an audience with to request help is the very cause behind this war?"

She then stared at Stencil, glaring as she asked, "What's your proof?"

"How can I be sure you're not lying?" She made eye contact with Stencil. If not for the fact that she couldn't see through Stencil's strength, she would have defeated the other party first before interrogating her of all details.

Unfortunately for her, Stencil was terrifyingly strong now, having used Conjurer's scheme to trap Compass Carburettor to capture all the System Hosts in this world and consume them to grow rapidly.

If the connection to the System World wasn't cut off, even capturing a single System Host would have required considerable time and energy, as there was always a chance of them making an escape to the System World easily.

Even otherwise, once they upload the information to the Astral Network, stronger Systems would descend to take care of the enemies.

Stencil pointed a finger at Kekumi Xetuka, unleashing a starlight beam upon activating one of the Skills she had purchased from the Astral Network before. It was what she used to feed Compass Carburettor information regarding the Fantasy World.

"Wha…" Kekumi Xetuka stared in shock, digesting the massive surge of information that poured into her, filled with everything Stencil had witnessed in Slayer's private dimension. As they were her memories, through them, Kekumi Xetuka was able to feel the strength of the other party.

She stared at the System Slayers behind Slayer, each brimming with the aura of an Apostle, with one of them even having the aura of two Apostles.

Kekumi Xetuka was on the ground for a good few minutes before she stared at Stencil in despair, resigned to her fate, "What…am I supposed to do now?"

"I told you, right?" Stencil said, bringing out Anthozoa that she pointed at Kekumi Xetuka before pressing the trigger, "That's why I'm here. I'll offer you a lifeline."

The bullet slammed into Kekumi Xetuka's forehead, sinking into her body as it vanished. An instant later, a strange sound resounded in her mind.

<Ding!>

[Imprinting Host's signature…]

[Bonding…]

[Bonded Successfully!]

<Ding!>

[The Magic Warrior System is now online!]