[ Installing the system: 34% ]
[ Collecting information: 0% ]
[ Please be on stand-by... ]
"Asta, this thing in front of me, can you see it?"
Alden already had an idea. The familiar blue boxes, the digital font, and of course, the content it displayed. It was clearly a system notice.
Even in his busy past life, he kept up with the culture. So of course he recognized the textbook system manga trope. They were perfect braindead reads, one of his favorite pastimes.
He should have known, he was hit by a truck, after all.
Asta's head whipped toward Alden.
"What is it?" He asked with a childish curiosity. "Quickly describe it for me, I should be able to tell you more about it."
"Uh… I think it's a system window. Do you not see it?"
Alden blinked. Wasn't this Asta's power bestowed onto him? So why is the god in question acting surprised?
Asta wore an annoyed look as he inched closer toward the floating window in the air.
"Tsk, you are being too casual with your thoughts about a god. I'm too lenient." He grumbled, squinting at the window. He clearly could see it as well.
"I told you before, even I don't know what form my divinity will take until you manifest it. But because it's my divinity, it should be the sort of power that pushes you forward and enforces growth."
"So you don't know?" Alden concluded.
Asta ignores him as he continues examining the system window, even poking his hand through it like a kid prodding jelly. After a few moments of curiosity-fueled inspection, he stepped back, looking mildly amused.
"... I may have overdone the bestowment. This is [Wanderlust] and [Play]." He said, smirking. "You inherited two of my divinities, Alden! Now that is surprising!"
"... "
"You are truly blessed. This makes me a bit proud. You did well, Apostle."
Praises truly meant nothing to fools who don't understand anything.
"...Can you just explain it a bit more? What exactly are these wanderlust and play?" Alden really has to squeeze out an answer himself every time.
Asta raised a brow.
"[Wonderlust] and [Play] are just it. You have experienced them before, they are beautiful and grand divinities. The appropriate response when you received these two would be kneeling in reverence."
"Do you want me to kneel?"
"Tsk, are you acting smart? Want to get smitten?"
"I apologize."
Teasing Asta was actually kind of fun. He was starting to get used to the ethereal voice—if ignoring that, it felt just like bullying a spoiled kid.
"So," Alden continued, "Explain it to me a little more, Asta. How do I use them?"
"But you are already using them?" The blond god tilted his head, poking at the system window. "This power of yours is [Wanderlust] and [Play] themself? That is what an apostle's power is, your god's divinity."
Alden decided to just accept the fact he would never understand his own power.
"Your speck of knowledge is truly lacking to be my apostle." Asta shook his head with a tired sigh. "Anyways, you referred to this power as 'System', correct? Clarify it for me."
"You read my mind."
"I did. Now clarify."
"It is indeed somewhat familiar to me. It's a popular concept from Earth's fantasy stories."
"So you already know what it does?"
"Not really. There are many types of systems I have read about. But overall I guess you could say it is something that does promote growth? It is installing, so we could just wait and see."
[ Installing the system: 61% ]
[ Collecting information: 0% ]
[ Please be on stand-by... ]
Alden was really not sure. It could either be a traditional system that just displays stats, levels, and skills, or it could be ones that talk to him and force him on dangerous quests.
"Oh? Sounds fun." Asta grinned. He was probably smiling in favor of the second option. "If you are familiar, it makes sense why [Play] and [Wonderlust] are manifested this way."
"The thing is, Alden." He suddenly leaned in. "You should probably avoid fighting with other apostles for now with this type of auxiliary power."
Alden immediately felt his body tensing up.
"Other apostles? Why?" His eyes squinted at Asta. "Will I be fighting other apostles?... Why?"
"Well…"
Asta looked away, rubbing the back of his neck.
"I am not exactly the most beloved among the gods."
"Excuse me?" Alden felt his stomach churning. With Asta's personality, Alden wasn't surprised. But he could tell that something was wrong. "Tell me what is wrong."
"Come on, don't be so tense! It's nothing!"
Asta waved it off with a bright smile. He reached up and patted Alden on the shoulder.
"It's just something that keeps the lazy bums on their toes! Heaven is too boring these days!"
"Asta,"
Alden reached up to stop the patting. This was technically their first physical contact, but Asta's skin felt exactly the same as any other person. Moreover, this was no time for skinship appreciation, he was serious.
"What did you do?"
"Fine, fine." Asta sighed dramatically, floating away from Alden's grip. "I might have insulted and stolen divinities from a few gods. Nothing worth mentioning."
"You what!?"
"They were weak divinities. Honestly, those gods should thank me. Anyways, some of them might try to get to you. It's just politics."
"..."
This guy was a bully. A child bully. And Alden has to suffer the consequences.
"Nothing of that sort." Asta scoffed. "You have to understand, there are probably as many gods as students on that Earth of yours. So conflict is a common occurrence. And if a god wins in a fight, they steal away divinity. It is just how things work. Honestly, I didn't ask for these low-level stuff, I just hate annoying pests."
"That means you don't fight often… right?" Alden was gradually getting more irritated.
"Look," Asta's face hardened. "The pantheons got a serious pest infection. The recent minor gods are very annoying."
Alden could already see a dark future ahead.
"Minor gods?" He asked after taking a second to calm down, he at least wanted to be prepared. "Is there a ranking for gods?"
"Minor is more of an insult. There is no ranking, but there are different classifications." Asta explains nonchalantly. It's only when he is guilty does he willingly divulges information.
"Some manifest from a faith or religion, we call those faith gods. They usually just hang out in their domain. Above them, are gods like me, a manifestation of a concept or desire. We are conceptual gods. I am [Adventure] itself, with three divinities under me, [Wonderlust], [Play], and [Pathfinding]. As long as these things exist, so do I. So yes, I am indeed mighty."
It does sound very large.
"Then at the top, there are entities that exist prior to even gods. The Progenitors. These guys aren't around often, so I am practically at the top of the pantheon, you should be honored."
"You just said there was no ranking."
"There aren't, I just personally rank them on those weaker than me, and those who are probably equal or stronger. Universal comparison is a bit messy. Faith gods lost their powers outside of their domain, but are practically unmatched within it. Conceptual gods aren't necessarily powerful, either. It all depends on what concept they embody. I'm great, but most of the minor god pests are also conceptual gods, their concept is just so pathetic that they live and act equally pathetic. I killed Limmra of Sensible Footwear just because he kept nagging me about my choice of boots."
"... What exactly did you gain from that?"
"[Perfect Footwear] divinity, but it got absorbed by [Play]." Asta scoffed. "I knew my taste was good."
Alden stared at him in disbelief.
"Will these gods also send such fashion-forward apostles to kill me?"
"Maybe. Probably the stronger ones, though." Asta whispered.
"Which gods have you offended, Asta? Tell me the full story."
As if already waiting for the cue, he started.
"I tried cutting the Loom of Fate goddess Nereval once, I argue a lot with Verenne of Preservation and probably smite one or two of their apostles, Azrel the Warden tried to recruit me so I spat on his helmet, I challenged Ytruun of Conquest to a duel but never show up, I locked Tholm of Safety up for a while, I turn Sibilia of Pessimism hair orange for a few days,..."
Asta hummed, recounted while casually using his finger to keep track. When he circled back for the fourth round of finger counting, Alden's face was already drained of all colors.
'Fate, Preservation, Conquest… Won't I just die!?'
It was horrifying. The list of atrocities committed against embodiments of terrifying concepts.
The devil. Alden is serving the devil as his god.
He is up against the collective wrath of the heavens.
"I burned Ithielle of Serene lotus lake, I borrowed some creations from Korrin of Iron, and uh… I once asked Fortuna of Luck to inherit her divinity, I really wanted it. She just smiled back at me, so not sure if she is mad or not. Well, I think that is all."
"...Are you sure you are not the god of Hardship?"
"Osken also dislikes me, but I heard of this through gossip. I myself don't understand why."
[ The system expresses its disbelief ]
Both Alden and Asta's attention snapped to the sudden pop-up screen.
[ Installing the system: 77% ]
[ Collecting information: 26% ]
[ Please be on stand-by... ]
As if responding to their surprise, other windows popped up.
Alden's head hurt. He decided to ignore it for now.
"Can you apologize to them first before I reincarnate?" He could only plead. "This is extremely dangerous. Please think of me too."
"I will do no such thing," Asta firmly replied with an unhealthy conviction. "They're petty. They'd come after you anyway. The gods are just too spoiled, tsk tsk."
Said the devil.
"Why would they even target the apostle? Couldn't they just fight you? Isn't this bullying?"
"It is our bad luck." Asta sighed. "I can defend myself just fine, but they probably might get a shot if they go for you instead. As my first apostle, killing you would significantly damage my status."
"'Our' bad luck?" Asta's casual attitude was pissing Alden off. "You knew about all of these!"
"What kind of apostle blames their god? Defend yourself. If they only send apostles, it should be light work."
Asta began floating again, letting out one last shameless chuckle before zoning out completely. Any questions now would likely fall on deaf ears. Alden could only grumble to himself.
He wasn't exactly unbothered by Asta's habit of spacing out mid-conversation, but he had a good idea of what was happening each time. So he couldn't really bring himself to stop him.
I wonder what kind of adventure he's watching this time, Alden thought.
One of Asta's many titles—The Eyes That See All Paths—made it obvious. Alden had briefly glimpsed Asta's vision during the bestowment himself, and the memory of that experience still lingered: overwhelming, mesmerizing, impossible to look away from.
As the God of Adventure, Asta was fulfilling his role—witnessing stories as they unfolded across countless worlds.
It was still annoying, regardless. Like seeing a child glued to the television when the house was burning down around him.
A dark, dangerous new life lay ahead of Alden.
He should have dodged that truck harder. He should have used tanks to get around.
He should have chosen the rock instead of this hard place.
Suddenly, a simple, foreign 'ding' sound disrupted his lamenting. Alden was returned to reality as he turned his attention toward the system.
[ Installing the system: 100% ]
[ Collecting information: 100% ]
[ Starting the system…Success! ]
[ Hello, Alden. ]