I Hate Systems

"Let us slay the Slayer." The teenager said, hoping to rile up everyone. But in actuality, none responded to his words, calmly seated in their respective seats, drinking their coconut juices.

Their nonchalance caused him to blush in embarrassment, turning the atmosphere awkward immediately.

"It's only natural that everyone behaves like this." The breathtakingly beautiful lady calmly said, continuing to drink her juice, "We've all arrived here under orders. I think this is one thing everyone must realise."

Her tone caused everyone to turn tense as she laughed, her laughter containing mockery, "Until now, every damn one of you had been deluded into thinking that you alone are special, right? But, you're wrong. Every single one of us gathered here is special in our own right. We have special abilities and are guided by special entities."

"Let's first establish the ground rules here. We'll think of everything else next." She spoke, turning silent, sporting a gentle smile.

Pale brownish-crimson hair, one that looked like willow leaves in the autumn that had almost wilted. A pair of eyes that seemed unnatural, jet-black at first glance but had minor twinkling to it as one stares at it for long, long enough to get mesmerised and become lost.

Her hair was tied into a bun, accentuating her long neck as all she wore was a thin vest, underneath which her ripped muscles bulged out. Pierced through her nose was a crystalline rod, looking painful at first glance. And when it reflected the incident sunlight, it caused staring at her face difficult.

She had such unique features that one couldn't help but continue to stare at her for long. And from the moment she began to speak, everyone subconsciously quieted down.

Lips pursed, she began to speak, "I'm Straxia. The only reason I'm telling my name is that you're ignorant about it. As for your names, your abilities, your motives, and your ambitions, tuck it within your belts. It's unnecessary. I know them already."

"But, that's not why we're here." She spoke, watching the group stir up, "I can tell with a glance that none of you have the intentions to cooperate with others, not with the eight-grade syndrome disorder that's flaring up within your fragile egos. Since we're here as a group, to cooperate for our shared interests, I'll be the one taking the charge, not this brat."

"Lady, I'm not a mere brat." The teenager looked offended, despite him admiring the side view of her face until a moment ago.

"Velcorn, right?" Straxia nodded, "You've experienced a couple of battles and have obviously won all of them. But, other than your first battle, have you ever faced a crisis?"

She stared right at him, making eye contact. Her eyes had so much power in them that he broke eye contact within a second, facing the side as he muttered, "No, I overpowered them."

He then spoke, indignant, "But, that only shows my power, you know. I can easily overpower my opponents, no matter who they are."

"Not with the one we're about to face, you won't be able to." Straxia shook her head before looking through the group, spotting Ianon among them as she smiled, saying, "Care to enlighten us about him, Ianon?"

'This lady is different from the rest.' Ianon had been silent from the start, observing everyone as he was gathering information about them. At first glance, he was perplexed, wondering how such people had managed to survive until now.

Because honestly speaking, what he could perceive from them was rashness and a stark sense of idiocrasy. It was a sign of blundering fools that would have been the first to die or would have caused the death of at least hundreds in a crisis. They were pretty much of that type.

But somehow, not only had they survived, but all of them were brimming with powerful auras, something only those with a crystal-clear presence of mind and solid level-headedness would have been able to achieve.

After all, this was pretty much a hundred days into the apocalypse. Attaining such might so early on wouldn't have been possible, at least for the likes grouped before him. This had been puzzling him all along.

Sure, he had wondered about the same with Dwun and Shika too. But, Dwun had something similar to animal instincts. He was a brute, but he wasn't completely reckless. Moreover, the man had a desire to grow stronger and was pretty smart in that regard.

He also grew alarmingly during a fight.

As for Shika, the first time he gazed at her, he could immediately tell that something about her was off. She was possessing enormous potential, potential that he could sense, one that was like a vast sea in comparison to every human that he had seen to date, including Rhizen's.

It was her character that was weak, not her capability.

But, most among the group before him lacked any capability. He immediately asked his System, 'System, among these people before me, if they hadn't possessed a System, how many would have attained their current strength?'

[That's easy to predict. Among this group, there are only three. First is you, second is Shyvern, and as for the third, she, Straxia is pretty interesting. If not for her System, she would have actually been stronger than her current self]

'Stronger…than her current self?' Ianon was shocked, 'How is that possible? Despite your objectives, the abilities, Skills, and items you give out are a cut above the rest.'

[That's the charm about her. Let me be honest for this one time. In this world, right after Rhizen, she's the most sought-after target for most Systems. And for some Systems, her value exceeds Rhizen's]

'Did you think of targeting her too?' Ianon asked, a bit offended by the thought.

[Well…I'll be lying if I said I didn't. Based on the capability of using my abilities, she exceeds you by a tiny amount]

'Fine…' Snorting mentally, Ianon gazed at Straxia, "Before we talk about him, we should also address the reason everyone's been summoned here. Don't you think so, Straxia?"

"Fair enough, go ahead." Straxia rested her chin on her hands, smiling as she gazed at Ianon with interest.