Chương 137: PJC-57xiv

Exactly one thousand and one years before the Integration began, PJC-57xiv stood within the Tower of Past Lives. She had finally done it. Her Halo was complete, her ascent to D-grade achieved. With barely contained anticipation, she made her way to the now-visible leaderboards and began searching for her brother's name. It took only eight clicks. VGH-57xiv. Ranked eighty-second on this Era's list. Three hundred sixty-seventh on the total ranking. She exhaled slowly, awe settling deep within her core.

His rank was higher than she had expected, almost incomprehensible. Top one hundred among all living D-grades in the Multiverse. A quiet whistle escaped her as her metallic braids chimed softly, their gentle clink carrying a musical cadence through the hall. Her wrist chimed once, a deep, resonant tone. She glanced down to find a message from her family waiting. Pulling up her system calendar, she paused, eyes fluttering. Eighteen days had passed. That was all.

"Time dilation," she muttered, wonder threading through her voice. This was her first true encounter with a segmented temporal phenomenon. So the rumours had been true. She turned back to the rankings. Closing her eyes, she drew in a steadying breath, then mentally selected her own name. She blinked. She blinked again. A third time. That wasn't right. Her gaze snapped downward until she found her brother's name once more. Then she scrolled upward. And up again. Until the list refused to move any further.

Her eyes locked on the top of the board.

"Rank one: Lucid Dreamer. Rank two: PJC-57xiv…" Second. She stared, her thoughts grinding to a halt. How? How? She knew she was powerful, stronger than most, but this? Second place defied reason. There had to be an error. Heart pounding, she rushed across the chamber to the silver-skinned tower butler, waving her hands in frantic disbelief.

"This list… It's wrong. Something went wrong," she said, the words tumbling out. The butler merely smiled.

"It is not wrong," he replied calmly. With a smooth gesture, he summoned a small box into the air between them. He opened it with deliberate care, revealing a pendant and a silver ring nestled within.

"Your reward," he said, "for placing within the top five of your Era, and the top fifty of all time. His words barely registered. They echoed distantly, hollow and unreal, as she stared in muted shock at the pendant resting in the box. It was a small, oval insignia, her family's crest etched at its centre with breathtaking precision. She lifted it carefully, breath catching as she examined the intricate lines and felt the steady waves of mana rolling from it. She placed it into her mouth and swallowed.

Her internal circuitry shifted. The pendant fused seamlessly with her form, reappearing along her cheek as if it had always belonged there. With a casual flick of her hand, she drew a veil over it, then turned her attention to the ring. She slipped it onto the third finger of her left hand and admired the way it sat there, a quiet smile forming. Her golden storage ring and pitch-black vessel ring flanked it on either side.

"I will never take you off," she whispered. Her eyes shimmered as she scanned its contents, the smile deepening just slightly. She mentally prepared to leave, eager to return to her family with news of her impossible ranking, when something caught her attention. A scrap of parchment lay on the pristine floor, starkly out of place. Frowning, she walked over and picked it up, turning it slowly between her fingers. The script etched across it was unfamiliar, resistant even to her enhanced perception.

"What is this?" she asked, turning toward the butler.

"What is what?" he replied, genuinely confused.

"This!" she said sharply, a faint electronic chirr of irritation slipping into her voice as she waved the parchment. The butler only shrugged and turned away. That, more than anything else, unsettled her. She scanned the parchment one final time, then slid it into her ring and departed, returning to her sect to share the news of her ascent. She had no way of knowing that the scrap of parchment was the herald of a thousand-year quest, one that would draw her into an integration and toward an anomaly named Joe.

Present day. PJ stared at the Seedling avatar, now able to see her clearly through the shattered veil. She had underestimated Feormere, and now everything balanced on a razor's edge.

"This was not part of the agreement," the Seedling barked.

"Agreements change," PJ replied evenly.

"So they do," it said.

"So does your… presence here. Goodbye invader."

"Wait!" PJ shouted, urgency cracking through her composure.

"He agreed to help me!. You have to honour that, as your chosen. You know the rules." For a tense heartbeat, the Seedling said nothing. Then it blinked and turned its gaze toward Feormere. PJ smiled. The avatar drifted downward, circling Feormere's head as sparks flared in its wake.

"So be it," the Seedling said at last.

"I will allow you to continue. But only under the promise you keep my chosen alive."

"Done," PJ lied. The seedling blinked once more and vanished. PJ almost laughed. It was absurdly easy to lie to Seedlings, arrogance given form, convinced of their own inevitability. She looked down at Feormere, who still clutched her ankle with stubborn defiance. Snarling, she casually kicked him away, sending him tumbling across the ground. If she hadn't needed him alive to open the gate, she would have killed him on the spot, Seedling be damned. It still irritated her that she couldn't open the gate by herself.

It was locked; only an integration participant could even access the requirements list for entry. She was completely blind to what kind of gate it even was. She only knew one undeniable truth. It was one of the pieces of her puzzle. So for now, Feormere had his use. Just until she claimed the item she had spent so long searching for. The irony was delicious. Of all the places, it was here, in a random integration, on a backwater world crowded with Humans and Voldura.

That thought finally drew a laugh from her, clear and chiming like a bell, her voice no longer dulled by veils or pretence. PJ, a C-grade being, her power unimaginable by the standards of this integration. Even bound by heavy restrictions, her strength and stats forcibly suppressed to the level of a peak E-grade, she was effectively untouchable here. Unkillable. And yet, somehow, the human bleeding nearby had shattered her veil. She would remember that.

If by some miracle, he survived what she was about to drag him into, she would drink his blood for the sheer audacity of laying hands on her true form. For now, she discarded the no-longer-useful Seeker and seized Feormere instead, hauling him along the ground without ceremony. It was time to open the gate. Time to claim her thousand-year prize. Time to prove, once and for all, that she had been right, that nothing could stay hidden forever. After all, nothing could hide from her unique class. The Doomsighted.

__ Joe bounced off a rock as the cyborg formally known as Zevra dragged him through the forests of Landradad. Pain flared with every jolt, but his thoughts clung stubbornly to one thing. Corel. Was she okay? Had someone found her? Helped her? The questions gnawed at him as he was hauled over another stone, his body leaving streaks of blood in the dirt. He cursed the cyborg in his mind with every ounce of venom he had left.

"Stop! At least use my skyboat, and stop dragging me!" Joe pleaded at last. The cyborg halted abruptly and dropped him.

"Do it," she commanded, her voice ringing with that same cold, chiming cadence. Joe didn't waste a second. He pulled out his skyboat, and she grabbed him and hurled him aboard. He hit the deck hard, grunting as blood splashed across the wood and his broken arm crunched beneath him in a fresh wave of agony. He forced a healing pill into his mouth, relief flooding him when she allowed that small mercy. Instead, she stepped to the controls and stared down at him expectantly.

It took Joe only a moment to grant her permission. The skyboat lurched, then surged forward, lifting them away as the forest blurred beneath them. Joe rolled weakly across the deck, clutching his arm, as they sped toward wherever she intended to take him next. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. A few hours later, the skyboat glided out over the ocean east of the main continent, pushing farther than Joe had ever travelled.

His mini-map faded to grey as the last familiar markers vanished. His broken arm had partially healed by now, the bone knitting with a dull, persistent ache as he leaned against the railing. He pulled out a piece of fruit and took a slow bite, juice running down his chin. He didn't bother wiping it away. He was already caked in dried blood, and it hardly seemed worth the effort. The cyborg glanced at him but said nothing.

"Why did you hurt Corel?" Joe asked between bites. The cyborg looked at him again, her expression unreadable.

"You forced my hand." Joe turned away, staring out across the endless ocean as he finished the fruit.

"What are you anyway?" Joe asked after another hour had passed.

"You're clearly not part of the integration."

"My name is PJC-57xiv," PJ replied.

"That's a stupid name," Joe shot back. PJ laughed.

"So is Feormere. One who provides sustenance? Did I translate that right?" Joe turned on her, fury burning in his eyes.

"I'm going to kill you for what you did," he snarled before looking away again. PJ's laughter rang out, bright and unbothered.

"I can't wait to see you try." Hours later, the skyboat passed over a second continent, one Joe had never seen. He stared down at the alien landscape below: trees with rubbery, warped trunks, Beasts resembling colossal scorpions and massive antlions roaming the ground. This land lacked the lush green of the main continent. It was dry, brown, and harsh, a sprawling desert broken by jagged mountains and endless stone. Joe watched it pass beneath them in silence as the journey dragged on.

Another two hours slipped by before PJ altered their course. The skyboat angled sharply upward, racing toward the peak of a towering mountain. The air thinned as they climbed, dry and biting, making each breath a little harder than the last. Joe glanced at PJ, who ignored him completely. He pulled out another piece of fruit to soothe his throat. PJ glanced his way. Joe held a fruit out as if offering it. Just before she could reach for it, he popped it into his mouth whole and smiled thinly at her.

"Fuck you." The skyboat settled onto the highest peak, engines falling silent. PJ stepped off without a word. Joe stayed seated until her voice drifted back to him.

"Start moving. Or I will drag you down here." Groaning, Joe stored the skyboat and followed her into a wide, damp cave mouth carved deep into the mountain. The air inside was cold and heavy with moisture, but he found it easier to breathe. He was still far from healed and still coated in blood, but he was alive. That counted for something, he supposed. They descended deeper, and the cave gradually grew more hostile. Scorpions and other insectile Beasts poured out from the cracks and tunnels, attacking in waves.

PJ dispatched them effortlessly, never slowing, never even glancing back as bodies fell in her wake. Joe limped after her, pain grinding with every step. Uriel was silent, no humming, no quiet presence at the back of his mind. He tried reaching out to her, sending message after message, but there was no answer. The silence pressed in, heavy and absolute, and for the first time since all of this began, Joe felt truly alone.

Joe wasn't sure how long he'd been walking through the endless, curving tunnels before warmth bloomed suddenly in his chest.

'I'm Okay,' Corel pulsed through their bond. Relief hit Joe so hard he had to stop to draw a deep, steadying breath. PJ glanced back at him, and for a brief, terrifying moment, he thought she had sensed the pulse. She turned away again and continued her relentless descent, as if he were nothing more than baggage.

'I'm okay also,' Joe sent back.

'Where are you?'

'On the second continent. Far, far away,' There was a pause. Joe kept his focus on his steps, on the uneven stone beneath his feet, doing everything he could to avoid drawing attention.

'Just come back safe,' Those words struck deep. Before he could respond, PJ slammed into him without warning. He crashed into the cavern wall, breath tearing from his lungs.

"Who are you talking to?" She snarled.

"Just Corel…" Joe managed before coughing up a mouthful of blood as his internal injuries flared anew. PJ snarled again, then released him.

"Stop it. No more contact. No more talking. Walk in silence." It took Joe several long moments to steady himself, his heart pounding as he forced his body to cooperate. He resumed walking without a word. Unable to respond to any more pulses, his mind churned with dark thoughts. At last, after what felt like an entire day of relentless descent, they entered a small cavern. Stalagmites jutted from the ceiling, water dripping steadily from their tips.

At the cave's centre loomed a large, swirling grey gate, its surface churning like mist trapped behind glass. PJ moved to the cavern's edge and set up a small camp. She started a fire and cooked strips of raw meat over it, eating the blackened result without ceremony. Joe sat on the opposite side of the cavern, pulled out his own provisions, and ate a small but fragrant meal. PJ did not so much as glance at him. After a long while, she finally pointed toward the gate.

"Touch it," She ordered. Joe approached, placing a hand against the swirling surface. It was solid, unyielding, like polished stone beneath his palm. After a moment, a notification flared into existence, at last explaining why he was here. Why he had been spared. Why PJ had chosen him alone for this task. It was also the moment Uriel spoke for the first time since the journey began.

'huh.' Greetings, High Human. Welcome to the first Trove gate ever created. This gate is a test, and its sole purpose is to pave the way for the future, to open your mind, and alight your soul with knowledge far beyond your current, blocked self. Welcome to the last day of Bi Luo Zuo's life. This gate has one simple goal. Survive for 15 hours. Survive the day Bi Luo Zuo died and rewrite history. For history must be rewritten in order to create… something new.

Completing this gate and surviving the trial within will allow access to the hidden treasure trove, where you will be able to choose only one item. This gate has never been opened. This gate has never been cleared. To open, place a drop of High Human blood upon the gate and pray you live through the trial. There is only one word of advice. Survive! This gate was created by Catalina and Uriel. May the system bless them for eternity.

'Kakakakakaka.'

"Did you know?" Joe asked aloud, no longer caring how PJ might react.

'Only when you entered the cavern.'

"And… that's your name?"

'Yes.'

"Who are you talking to?" PJ demanded. Joe turned toward her, bloodshot eyes hidden behind his sunglasses.

"The creator of this gate." He didn't bother tempering the truth. PJ scoffed.

"The creator is long dead. She died with the rest of her race. What symbols did you see? Draw them for me." Dead? The rest of her race? Questions piled up, sharp and insistent, but Joe forced them down. How did PJ know Uriel? What else did she know?

'She knows nothing. Ignore her ramblings,' Uriel insisted.

'Kill her! She hurt your bond.' Joe snarled softly.

"It said it needs a drop of blood," he said instead.

"Do you want me to open it?" PJ shot to her feet and grabbed him.

"You can read the forgotten script? I knew it!" Only then did Joe realize the message had been written in the language Uriel had taught him. The absurdity of it struck him, and he started to laugh. PJ shook him.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because I understand nothing," Joe said hoarsely.

"Yes, I can read the… script. Do you want me to open it or not?"

"Wait," PJ's grip tightened.

"Tell me what it said. The whole message. Lie to me, and I'll rip off your arm." Joe was ready to lie. But the look in her eyes killed the thought instantly. The threat was real. So he recited the message word for word, omitting nothing, not even the signature at the end. PJ's eyes widened at the two names. She said nothing. She released him and began to pace. She paced for thirty long minutes, boots scraping stone, thoughts clearly racing.

"What's going on?" Joe finally asked.

"What's the problem? It sounds simple enough. A clear goal to clear the gate."

"You truly know nothing," PJ said at last.

"This is no simple task. This is an old fairy tale. It is impossible to survive. Bi Luo Zuo always dies."

"Is that true?" Joe asked, tilting his head back.

'Yes… and no.'

"Who are you talking to!!" PJ roared. Shoving her face inches from his. Joe didn't flinch this time.

"I told you! The creator of the gate!" PJ stared at him for a long moment, then turned away and resumed pacing.

"Ask this creator how to clear the gate." Joe tilted his head slightly.

'Tell her to eat shit,' Joe laughed as he relayed the message.

'Kakakaka,' Uriel laughed. PJ barked out a laugh of her own.

"That does sound like a High Human. They always were insufferable." She paused her pacing to study Joe with a puzzled frown.

"How are you able to unlock the gate?" PJ asked slowly.

"Do you have a vial of High Human blood on you?" This time, it was Joe's turn to blink in confusion. Did she not know his race? Then why had she been so certain he could help her open the gate in the first place? He didn't understand anything anymore.

"I'm High Human," Joe said simply. PJ stared at him for a long, unbroken moment. So long that he half wondered if time itself had stalled. For someone who dragged him here by force, she took an uncomfortable amount of time just thinking or pacing. PJ drew a slow breath and shook her head, her metallic hair clinking in an echoed tone.

"So you can speak with Uriel?" PJ said.

"Ask her who killed her." Joe felt Uriel snarl within him, the reaction so sharp it made him stagger.

"How did you know it was Uriel? There are two names."

"It certainly isn't the system-forsaken Ruler of Eludia you're talking to." PJ scoffed. Joe's thoughts spun. Catalina. That Catalina. Rose's mother. His first bond's bloodline. The coincidence was almost absurd. Once more, he felt like a puppet being pulled by invisible strings. A broken laugh nearly escaped him, but PJ's stare cut it short. Joe met it with a bloody-toothed snarl of his own.

"Open the gate," PJ ordered. She exhaled sharply, and for just a heartbeat, Joe thought he saw hesitation flicker across her face. The thought enraged him. Had Corel been hurt for nothing? Had all of this been meaningless? He struck the cavern wall hard enough to split his knuckle, blood running freely, then turned and walked toward the gate.

'Do not, under any circumstances, let her take something from my trove.' Uriel warned.

"Why not? You're dead, aren't you?? Why do you care?"

'Do what I say, child. I am your…'

"My what?" Joe whispered. He couldn't remember Uriel ever talking to him in such a manner, and now he couldn't help but wonder about something PJ had said earlier.

'Do you think I'm the only one lying to you?'

"Stop talking and open the gate!" PJ shouted. Joe raised a hand, ignoring her entirely. He needed to hear this.

'Your bloodline,' Uriel finished.

'I will open it for you. Show you the true bloodline. Just don't let her leave with a single thing.' Joe nodded once and placed his hand against the gate. Questions swarmed his mind. Too many. Uriel was hiding something, of that he was certain, but there was no time left to ask. PJ appeared at his side in a blur and placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. He grunted under the weight, but before either could speak, the world folded in on itself.

They vanished, dragged into the swirling abyss as the gate consumed them whole. The Trial of Bi Luo Zuo had begun.