Chapter 29: A Serious Conversation with the System

Raphael sat on the floor of his throne room, staring into space. He thought again about what Vanessa had said, and the more he understood, the more he realized he was acting like an 11-year-old instead of a 21-year-old.

This wasn’t even about him being newly awakened. No. People awakened every day; it was just that they were younger than him. And that wasn’t an excuse. He knew it wasn’t. He was just being stupid and childish.

Plus, he had made some dumb mistakes. He blurted things about the system, overreacted to the smallest things, and acted like a child.

[You finally realize you’ve been stupid.]

’I...’

[Feel free to speak. No one will hear you here.]

"I... I’ve been really childish. But I want to ask. You can speak like this?"

[Not really, at least not before. I was just a sentient entity inside you that displayed your progress and gave emotionless pointers. But after your evaluation as an Unknown, my core evolved.

You could say I’m like your second form... your brain that processes everything for you. Our compatibility had exceeded 100%, making us one being instead of Chosen Sovereign and System.]

"Does that change anything?"

[Not entirely, but it makes things simpler. Your progress will be exponentially quicker, and you wouldn’t have to worry about dealing with enemies.]

"But..."

[No buts. What is left is you. What you choose. Do you choose to be a guinea pig, an experiment for the mortal bureau, or a Sovereign?

Do you choose to be classified as a citizen before you gain access to walk among mortals, or do you choose to get up, take up your mantle, and become an Unknown?]

"They are more powerful than me..."

[That personality of yours is repulsive. You still speak like a child. Have you forgotten what happened when you summoned Vanessa? Do you remember how time froze, and how their so-called machines failed to detect the true power of Vanessa? Have you forgotten that you were classified as Unknown?!

Don’t you still realize why they assigned you an A-tier guard?! Do you believe they are going to protect you?!]

"I..."

[You what? Hmm? You are lucky they didn’t assign an S-tier guard to you. No one would want to take their eyes off a person who survived an attack from an S-tier monster and awakened afterwards as an Unknown.]

"S-tier Calamity beast..."

[That little monster isn’t a Calamity beast. No one in this city would’ve survived if a Calamity beast appeared here. Mortals are such fickle liars.]

"You realize I’m also a mortal? And what’s with you and Vanessa calling humans ’ mortals’?"

[First of all, you are not a mortal. You ceased to be a mortal...no... You ceased to be counted as living the day that S-tier bug attacked you. You are now the Chosen Sovereign, classified as an Unknown by mortals.]

"So, is that permanent?"

[For them, it is. They will never be able to classify you. That is why you must decide to be a Sovereign, take your mantle as a leader of calamities, or stay as a guinea pig with an A-tier swordswoman breathing down your neck.

Your choice would determine when your next evolution will take place. And mind you, you must understand what you want.

I know you don’t want to be powerless, but if you’re choosing this because of the power, then I’m sorry to say this: you will fail and die sooner than you expect.

As a Sovereign, your ultimate power lies in the people you command. You can be strong all you want. You can be powerful enough to destroy worlds and rebuild them on a whim, but without your legion of female knights, you will fall to the commonest thing. The power you wield is not a personal toy]

The voice echoed through his mind, vibrating with an ancient, resonant cadence that seemed to shake the very foundations of the obsidian arches above. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ

[It is a weight. A Sovereign does not fight for petty survival or personal glory. A Sovereign exists to be the unyielding axis around which empires turn. You are the vanguard, the protector, and the absolute authority over those bound to your shadow. Your strength is their shield; your vision is their law.]

Raphael listened in absolute silence, the words carving themselves into his consciousness.

[To wear the crown means accepting total isolation among mortals. It means making decisions where every outcome bleeds, calculating lives as assets, and standing firm when the entire world demands your submission. You cannot be indecisive. You cannot be soft. You cannot crave the quiet comfort of a civilian life that was torn from you the moment you died in that alley.]

The presence within his mind seemed to draw closer, casting a metaphorical shadow over his thoughts.

[Make your choice now, Raphael Matthews. There is no middle ground. You choose to bow to the Bureau, play the helpless asset, and live on borrowed time until they decide you are too dangerous to exist, or you step onto the path of the Sovereign. Choose now, and know this: once the oath is sealed, there is no turning back. You will walk this road to absolute dominion or complete annihilation.]

The voice fell silent, leaving the vast, cavernous hall in a heavy, suffocating stillness.

Raphael remained motionless on the cold glass floor. He looked down at his trembling hands, then raised his head to stare at the shrouded, fog-draped pedestals waiting in the dark circle of the amphitheater.

He thought of Captain Vale’s cold, calculating eyes. He thought of the Bureau’s scanners, the endless surveillance, and the terrifying reality that he was being watched like a biological weapon waiting to detonate.