Asleroc and his Heroines stood around the giant disc of obsidian stone. The slab Astensia had spoken of seemed more magical than a mere rock of architecture.
There was blue light running through its grooves, and the map wasn't sprawled across it, it was etched on its surface, formed with the stone itself.
The map mimicked the present state of the realm: fallen lands, broken mountains, rivers that no longer flowed, towers fractured into arcs.
Astensia placed her palm on the left end of the map.
"We are here," she said, pointing to a bright mark surrounded by a shimmering aura. "The Fort of Favia. The last sanctuary beneath Heaven's barrier."
Asleroc leaned closer. The barrier was depicted as a wide dome of light, enclosing only a fraction of the map. Beyond it, everything was scorched, ruptured, and blackened.
"Everywhere outside the mana shield is desolate," Astensia continued. "The Abyss tore it apart. There's a path through of course, a few actually.
"Thor and I have been clearing these corridors, trying to carve a safe path, killing as many beasts and demon spawns as we can. But… the corruption from demon essence is high. It festers faster than we can cut it back, and it would only get worse when we arrive at the Ruptured Region in our path…"
Her finger slid southeast, halting at a vast patch of green marked in black veins. "The Jungle of Brakenkal. Once a haven of beasts and nature, now it's a Ruptured Region belonging to the Villainess, Vestra. She calls it the Poisoned Green."
Asleroc narrowed his eyes. The name had pricked his memory. "The Jungle of Brakenkal?" he muttered. "Isn't that the domain of Nimara, Heroine of the Jungle and Animal Powers?"
The two women exchanged a glance heavy with sorrow and surprise.
Thor folded her arms across her chest, her silver eyes softer than usual. "Yes," she replied.
"From what we know, Nimara still lives. But the corruption in her mana core must be unbearable. She would be completely depleted, and certainly cannot fight as she once did."
Astensia's tone softened when she chipped in. "Still, if we save her, she can help us. Only she can cleanse the Poisoned Green and return it to the Jungle of Brakenkal. Then take her rightful place at your side."
Asleroc looked between them grimly. "But that won't be easy," he said what they were all thinking.
"Considering how corrupted your own mana is from fighting the demon spawns earlier. Until you cleanse your own cores, you won't be able to replenish the mana spent. And cleansing will take days."
The two heroines exchanged another look, this one charged with surprise.
Astensia nodded in agreement with her Worship's words. "All of this you have said is true. Truly the Heavens have gifted you more knowledge than we anticipated. Common folk know nothing of mana cores."
Asleroc froze. 'Shit. Am I speaking too much?'
He masked the thought and folded his arms to maintain composure. "Well… I'm no common folk. I'm the Heavenly Hero."
Astensia broke a smile as she watched him with a beating heart: Finally there was hope for the future of Cinriten. At least, that was what she believed.
Thor, however, gazed at Asleroc with a more conceited expression.
"I need to think," Asleroc muttered at last. He turned from the slab, and walked softly towards the tall rectangular window on the far wall.
Lowering his gaze as he walked, he read through the columns on the screen of his system. Now was as good a time as any to study it.
「CHARACTER BUILDING SYSTEM」
「Profile: Asleroc Leogardt」
「Rank: 1★ Bronze」
「Level: 1/50」
「MP: 0」
「Weapon: — 」
「Power: Omnipotent Character Manipulation」
「Skills: • Character Creation • Character Evolution」
「Currencies」
「CP (Character Points): 0」
「AP (Archetype Keys): 0」
「Reliquary Charges: 0」
「Continuity Risk: 0%」
「Party Status」
「Astensia — 5★ Gold | Lv 15/50 | Loyalty 88% | Status: Mana Corruption (Mild)」
「Thor — 5★ Gold | Lv 19/50 | Loyalty 31% | Status: Mana Corruption (Moderate)」
「Rosters」
「Created Characters: 0」
「Evolved Characters: 0」
「Modules」
「Creation」「Evolution」「 Party 」「Relics」 「Archive」 「World Weave」「Quest Log」
Asleroc stared at the screen, shocked by the wall of terms he couldn't even begin to understand.
He wasn't awakened so it made sense that his mana points was zero and his rank was a 1 Star Bronze. But how could he be all of that and have a Power tagged Omnipotent?
'This better be good.'
With hopeful anticipation, he tapped Character Creation—one of his Skills—and a new interface blinked open.
「CHARACTER CREATION CONSOLE」
「Balances → CP: 0 | AP: 0」
「With your Character Creation Skill, you can create any character with sets of powers, skills, traits and motives to help you along your journey」
Asleroc's eyes widened. 'What the—? I mean… I thought it might be it but no actual way. I can create characters?!'
「Character Creation costs Character Points (CP). The more powerful the character, the more expensive it will be to create」
「Each created character must have a narrative role in the world」
「The backstory of created characters can not affect the overall lore and background of the story, only the future」
Asleroc narrowed his eyes, his interest completely swallowed by the screen. 'These must be the rules.'
「Created characters can not be duplicates of already existing characters」
He frowned. 'There goes my hopes of an orgy with five Astensias.'
「Created characters can not be as strong or stronger than the Heavenly Hero's awakened form」
That broke Asleroc's heart as well. 'It's like it's reading my mind and blocking against all my ideas. I would have ended all of this by getting enough Character Points and creating a character that could one-shot Heilmaster from anywhere.'
He tightened his lips, still studying the floating interface. 'But still… the things I could do with this Skill. What exactly are the steps to creating a character?'
The system responded with the next interface.
「Name」
「Appearance」
「Personality」
「Role Assignment」
「Heroine • Villainess • Hunter • Civilian • NPC」
Asleroc was surprised at the Villainess option. 'Why would I ever want to create a Villainess?'
「Backstory」
「Family • Birthplace • Event • Motive」
「Archetype Keys: Archetype Keys allocate Powers and Skills to your created character」
「— (none available)」
「Minor Details」
「Create Character」
Asleroc couldn't believe how this could be an actual skill. The 'omnipotent' part suddenly began to make sense. The way he could now see that Astensia and Thor were merely characters.
He truly was omnipotent.
'This is literally author mode. It's like I'm the writer inserting an OC into canon.'
To believe that the system could make everyone believe that the characters were part of the story the whole time. That was something even more overpowered than he had expected.
His grin widened. 'No wonder this was called the Character Building System. I'm literally building characters into the story.'
He swiped across to Character Evolution.
The menu changed.
'Let's see what this Skill is about…'
But before he had the chance to do that, he noticed movement from the corner of his eyes.
Astensia had walked to the window, hands clasped loosely at her back, golden braid brushing her hip.
She joined him to gaze beyond the mana barrier before turning, staring at his chiseled side profile.
"Are you afraid, my Worship?" she asked softly.
Asleroc looked at her. He cleared his throat, straightening. "Uh… I don't… I'm trying not to be."
She said nothing for a while, her beautiful blue eyes glittering as she gazed at him with reverence.
"It would be odd if you weren't," she finally said. "Once, you were merely a weapons carrier when this life was chosen for you. And you never had the chance to fulfill your destiny. You were cast into a dark slumber while the world fell.
She looked away, despondent. "Now you've awakened, and all the burden is yours to resurrect it."
Asleroc narrowed his eyes at her words.
She continued speaking, though her eyes remained beyond the barrier. "I have waited for you for a very long time, my Worship. I never once gave up hope."
Then her eyes met him again, the beauty of her face heightened by the conviction that burned in her eyes.
"Whatever happens, no matter what decision you make—even if others call you mad—I will stand by you. My loyalty is yours as long as you are loyal to your destiny. So do not be afraid. I will be at your side always."
Asleroc could already feel his heart beating, moved by her words. The power of her Brave Tongue Skill was undeniable.
He turned, his gaze drifting to Thor in the distance. She stood apart, hammer in hand, watching them by the slab with her silver eyes.
"I only wish Thor shared that same sentiment," he said. "Even though she acknowledges her mistake and has accepted me as her Lord, she still holds resentment for my disappearance."
Astensia shook her head gently. "Not resentment. Hurt."
Asleroc looked at her, not expecting that perspective.
"For her, defending Cinriten is an obsession. She placed her faith in you, and when you vanished, her faith shattered."
Astensia smiled warmly. "What she longs for now is proof. She wants to see you rise again. To know that her faith in you is not misplaced."
Asleroc realized he had never thought of it that way. It wasn't like it was out of character for Thor. In the novel, she was just as blunt and hot-tempered.
Yet, she remained one of the Hero's favorites.
Asleroc knew that it could be the case for him too. No matter whatever character he was going to create in the future, none of them could be as important to him as the two who had rescued him.
His eyes left Astensia's face and gazed out to the horizon beyond the mana shield.
He saw the black trees rising. The crimson-stained skies and the burnt earth. The desolation of Cinriten sprawling as far as he could see.
Asleroc exhaled heavily. "We should prepare for Brakenkal."