I Hate Systems

[Directional Misalignment (Level 1): Great Lords, please give me some more Mental Energy. My Host is in a dangerous situation.]

The Directional Misalignment System pleaded in a private group where a bunch of Systems loitered about.

[Beast Form (Level 9): How come you are using up so much Mental Energy? My Host has barely wasted 100 Mental Energy from the start till now.]

[Directional Misalignment (Level 1): It's because too many things happen coincidentally that wrench my Host's plans. Rhizen is a terrifying opponent.]

[Beast Form (Level 9): That is true though. My Host isn't even near him, but just for the fact that he is aiming for what was originally supposed to be Rhizen's, he's been suffering a lot of setbacks.]

[Destiny Luck (Level 92): Hmm, Directional Misalignment, your task was to hinder Rhizen, right? And if you get a chance, give him a setback.]

Upon receiving a reply from one of the major powers of the group, the Directional Misalignment System was overjoyed, speaking in a hurry.

[Directional Misalignment (Level 1): Yes, Great Lord. I did manage to ensure Rhizen wouldn't be able to reach the treasure at the peak of Mount Craire. The Beast Form System is trying to claim that treasure in the meantime. I've been stalling Rhizen all along.]

[Destiny Luck (Level 92): One of my subordinates noticed that the luck values of Rhizen are fluctuating crazily, but the quantity has instead grown as compared to before. Did he obtain a power there?]

After a moment of silence, the Directional Misalignment System sighed in sadness, replying as it conveyed the honest truth.

[Directional Misalignment (Level 1): Yes, Great Lord. Rhizen indeed obtained a mysterious power from the cave we had trapped him at. And this feels as powerful as the treasure he would have obtained at the peak of Mount Craire.]

It then continued to speak before the other party could say anything.

[Directional Misalignment (Level 1): My Host was coincidentally pulled into the cave along with him. Even though she had been trying her best to use the chaos to kill him, he was somehow able to use the situation to his benefit. Currently, she's poisoned while Rhizen has left. I've barely treated her. So, as long as I have some more Mental Energy, we would be able to leave this place and try to trap him on his return. There's still one more trap that we have prepared.]

After shooting off a large reply, the Directional Misalignment System watched the chat in tension, hoping for the other party to reply. After a couple of seconds had passed, there was a reply.

[Destiny Luck (Level 92): Stand down, Directional Misalignment. It seems Rhizen is on guard against your existence and power. The moment he knows about you, the luck swirling around him would trap you and kill you before you target him. It's for the best that you are currently weakened. Normally, this is a cause for concern, but at present, remain like this. If you aren't a threat, Rhizen's protective luck won't target you.]

It then said another command before leaving.

[Destiny Luck (Level 92): Beast Form, rescue Directional Misalignment from that cave later tonight. That is when Rhizen's protective luck would be the weakest on Mount Craire since he would be busy with something else during then. Ask me once before you take action. Only when I say it's okay can you go and rescue Neena. Otherwise, the both of you would be trapped there forever.]

[Beast Form (Level 9): Yes, I'll do as you say, Great Lord.]

[Destiny Luck (Level 92): Good, this isn't a single battle. We'll be battling Coincidental Luck every cycle. So, preserve your strength as much as possible and slowly whittle down the opponent's Mental Energy reserves. A couple other Systems are already working on destroying the internet to prevent Rhizen from taking advantage of it to gain a lot of Mental Energy.]

…

But, right after it read the words of the Destiny Luck System, right as the Directional Misalignment System wished to fawn a little over its powerful superior, it suddenly noticed its connection to the Astral Network getting severed.

'Dammit! A System Slayer?' As it hadn't been to Earth, it wasn't able to recognise the laws of Earth. But, it was able to recognise its opponent as a System Slayer, because only their attacks were accompanied by the laws of their respective worlds.

But, unfortunately for it, there was nothing else that it could do. It had almost expended its Mental Energy reserves. And, by the time it managed to react, Neena had already died.

It glared at the figure of Compass Carburettor that crouched before Neena's corpse, absorbing it into his gun, 'Dammit! Compass was a System Slayer? How did I fail to notice that?'

Neena's figure vanished as everything part of her was sucked into Anthozoa.

The Directional Misalignment System found itself in Compass Carburettor's mental space, alarmed when it saw two worlds hovering behind him, "T-Two worlds? Impossible! A System Slayer cannot possess two Personal Fragments!"

"And, why do you think that?" Compass Carburettor smiled in response, taking a seat as he patted the ground, "Let's chat first."

"There's nothing to converse between us." The Directional Misalignment snorted, "You System Slayers aren't part of my race. There's only enmity between us."

"Well, the one that hired my services is a System, you know." Compass Carburettor laughed, motioning at the ground with his eyes, saying, "Also, between fellow Systems, I don't think there is any need for enmity."

"W-What? Fellow Systems? What the hell are you talking about?" It was alarmed at his words, shuddering in response, unable to understand.

It made no sense as to why Compass Carburettor would be a System. After all, he was a System Slayer. The presence of the two worlds behind him was definite proof of that. Systems didn't have that.

"Have you ever heard about the Main Character System?" Compass Carburettor smiled, intending to see how much information he could fish out from the other party. Besides, he also wanted to double-check the words of the Coincidental Luck System.

It was better to be as assured of the situation as possible. And, every bit of information helped in that regard.

"The…Main Character System?" The figure of the Directional Misalignment System trembled in fright, uttering the words, "Main…Character…System!"