It ends up taking Ace two and a half months to get all the books into the library. This was longer than planned, but there were a few reasons for that. Not good reasons, but reasons nonetheless.
Top of that list?
Without a proper library system, there wasn’t any proper borrowing schedule. Oh, sure, they knew where every book was, but that didn’t mean they had access to it. In particular, there was an extensive collection of less scholarly works over in Bennett Town.
Sure, much of it was works of fiction, but that was actually more important than ever. Most of what you might read in those novels would be nonsense, but the whole “fifth-dimensional soul” thing meant that elements of fiction contained kernels of truth. Especially some of the most recent works that appeared right before the system arrived. Admittedly, the path system seemed very light on the ground among those works.
That thought actually nagged at Ace’s mind. Why, when the universe had a path-based system, were stories of such things so rare? There are LitRPGs for days! Years! But a system using skills that feed into Paths? Almost unheard of.
So after the two and a half month grind of tracking every borrowed book down and bringing it back, Ace finds himself back in the library. Hellen is processing the last batch of books. These particular ones weren’t technically part of the original collection, but Ace managed to convince the collector that a proper system library would do a better job of preserving his manga and light novels.
Ace stands there in silence for a bit longer than planned, but finally he asks, “So, why aren’t there more works that better translate to the world we live in? If souls are beyond time, why aren’t there more stories involving something like what we actually have to deal with?”
Hellen finished the book she is working on and then looked up. “That is a good question.
“On the one hand, it is a numbers game. Path-based systems are simply harder on mortals. I mean, consider how much easier it would be if you had a class and some skills? If you could share that all without revealing something deep and personal about yourself that most would never share, even with a significant other?
“Now, I’m native to this universe, so have no personal experience. That doesn’t mean I don’t know things. I worked in one of the major libraries that the system maintains. Among the known universes out there with a system? Nearly all of them are Class-based.
“A magnitude less common? Still not Path-based, but rather, Skill-based. After that, at another magnitude, less common? Not Path-based, but what your pre-system techs would call ‘headless’, as in, without a display.
“Though that categorization irks me. There isn’t a proper name for it, as what it comes down to is one of the previous types, except users don’t get system messages. Not even a status. And depending on how hardcore it is? They might not even have a way to do so! Though many such systems do allow for methods to check on your progress. Either through system monoliths or by allowing the users to create spells and items that can display such information.”
Ace sighs, “And let me guess, Path-based systems are a magnitude less common than that.”
Hellen shakes her head, “That implies a statistically significant number of universes with a Path-based system. Admittedly, considering the infinite nature of the Void, a rough number of known dimensions using a system like ours numbers in the thousands! A drop in a bucket on a bucket assembly line.
“Data on Path-based systems is kept in the miscellaneous category along with many other quirky systems. A significant portion of which have more universes running them.”
Ace, “I am pretty certain that I’ve had various people gas me up on how good a Path-based system is?”
Hellen flashes a thin smile, “I didn’t say the system was bad. I said it was rare. I also said it was hard on mortals.”
Ace shrugs, “I must admit, I don’t really see that? We’re doing pretty well right now.”
Hellen shakes her head and sighs, “You do not have anything to compare your situation with. If this place was under a Skill-based system, you would likely already be trading with neighboring communities. With a Class-based system? Your world would be connected once again .
“There would be space mages and magical porters enough to begin passing supplies within the first month, and after a year or two? Artificers would have built Gates to connect major population centers.”
Ace shrugs again, “But would they be as strong as we are? Oh sure, we don’t have as much assistance with magic, but we’re figuring it out!”
Hellen laughs, “They would slaughter you! I doubt anyone now native to this planet has hit level 50 yet. Given multiple years? Many will have finished the first stages of their classes.”
Ace frowns at that, “Then why isn’t our system bad? If these other places end up so much more powerful, I’d figure those systems would be better?”
Hellen raises an eyebrow, “Now you’re just fishing. Tell me what you assume.”
Ace gestures around, “All the stories? Either everyone has the same class selection, and power flatlines at a certain point. A balanced playing field. That, or the class can evolve and there are rarities. So everyone is slightly different and there are lucky blessed fools out there with high-tier classes which make them gods among men.
“Paths, though? We build them based on who we are. No one has exactly the same path as another. So while we accumulate power slower and many will fail to advance after a certain point? The top end stretches on to the horizon.”
Hellen nods, “Mostly correct. Though it is important to note that every proper system will have a way to continue advancing. Because those that don’t? Don’t survive.
“That Path is always there, even if someone tries to block it. So eventually? Someone will walk it to the end and as part of their ascension beyond, they will shatter that which tried to hold them. That doesn’t mean it has to be easy, but the path will exist.”
Ace, “Okay, then why are we so weak compared to other systems?”
Hellen, “Because strength is a crutch if it is external.”
-----
The sprites rejoiced! It had felt like forever since they got put on this job and finally they were allowed to go out and explore!
The sprites, a lot more than had been revealed to Ace, all gathered together. The system banned them from using fairy rings, but the library connections were close enough! It just took some creative interpretation of reality.
In particular, they now danced around a circle of books. Which wasn’t too special, with all the books that had flowed into the library. Except, they couldn’t just put the books in a circle! Oh no, that would be cheating and Fae magic loved that a little too much.
Instead, they cheated another way. Because if the circle had to be natural? They simply had to take a step back. In this case, that meant they caused the drone team carrying a bunch of books to accidentally drop them. Said books landed all natural-like.
Now, those books weren’t in a circle. That would be silly and a little too coincidental. But there were a lot of books, and after examining the pile? The sprites found enough books in a circle, so all they had to do was remove the books that weren’t part of said circle. Easy! And now they were ready and had the go-ahead!
So they danced and cheered, made fun and games. After all, even removed from the courts, they were still Fae. Oh, sure, some of the darker types have proper rituals with dour moods and such.
That wasn’t for the sprites! So they laughed and played around a circle of fallen books. Then the magic took hold and they began to vanish in groups of five to seven. This continued until seven groups had vanished and the magic in the air fell away. The circle of books now just a few books on the ground, despite not having been moved.
Now there are sprites all over the world! A world that Ace wouldn’t recognize. Despite all the words and promises made. Despite everything that has been said about what might happen. The system had to do a bit more work on the planet than normal.
Oh, it was still a blue marble in space, mostly water and some green to spice things up. A shame it was a bit shattered now. There were no longer any recognizable continents. Maybe if you squint?
The system tried to keep things relatively in place. It failed, but the attempt was there. Now there were a lot more continents and many smaller islands. Though smaller was more of a trick of perspective and wouldn’t be a problem for long, anyway.
And Ace was about to find all this out himself.
Back in Wolf’s Rest, the prodigal son returns. He had been gone for longer than planned, but with an active lamp they knew he was alive and it hadn’t been long enough to send a search party.
He arrived back at Wolf’s Rest without any notice. His team, sadly down to seven people, three lost to beasts they couldn’t handle, were exhausted. Though it was more of a mental exhaustion.
They didn’t find anyone. Their community was next to the Sea. Or rather, they were the last community before the Sea. So now, after months of travel, Derrick the druid was back in Wolf’s Rest.
His anonymity lasted only as long as it took for him to enter the adventurers guild. There, the receptionist recognized him and alerted Jim. After that, he was escorted out of the building and directly to the inner circle along with the rest of his team.
Though they are split off to be debriefed by the Barrais. Derrick himself was going to have a chat with Ace before anything else and so he finds himself in one of Ace’s meeting rooms. Because by this point, Ace has multiple offices and meeting rooms. Ace wasn’t the biggest fan of this development, but appearances are everything and so an office for work looks different from one for show.
Derrick settles into the chair as if it was the most comfortable thing, despite the fact that it was precisely designed to be just barely not uncomfortable. A polite chair that wouldn’t let you rest. Derrick had long ago gotten used to sitting on uneven rocks and his stats meant it no longer bothered him.
Ace sets aside a piece of paper he was going over and looks up, “Do we need to deploy some people to get revenge for those who were lost?”
Derrick raises an eyebrow, “That’s your first question?”
Ace shrugs, “You didn’t come back with other people tagging along. Which means if you did find anyone? They weren’t a big enough group or they weren’t friendly. And if it was the second one? Well, they know the direction you came from so we need to show that we have a big stick.
“Of course, it could be a beast. Which would be even more reason to get revenge. There is a reason that before the system came, large predators that had eaten human flesh would be put down. Once they get a taste for it? They realize we are food. They become a proper danger instead of just a wild animal.”
Derrick shrugs, “It was a beast, but we killed it, so no need to worry about that.”
Ace nods, “Good. With how the world works now, I wouldn’t put it past anything that has gotten a taste for human flesh to pass it on to others of their kind or evolve into some sort of specialized human killer. Either are possible and both are terrible for regular people.”