16 Reaching the Surface
"Why would you say such a thing?"
Albion said.
The system was rather ruthless.
[Goldfinger does not understand the meaning of the host's question. Goldfinger only considers whether the benefits will aid the host in surviving the Apocalypse. Since Pom—the ancient sea serpent was no longer useful as a pet mount, the least it could do is become EXP to help the host become stronger.]
Goldfinger stated.
Its reasoning was very sound, but also cold and void of emotion like a supercomputing machine.
It was like an unreliable customer support assistant working from behind the desk and over the phone at times, but in the end, it is still a sentient system with powers that cannot be explained with science.
"The day I stop seeing life as a life, but life as EXP is the day I become a monster. I do not wish to become a monster. Why should I benefit at the expense of the lives of others? I wish to remain human for as long as time permits it. Life is something to be treasured."
Albion stated.
There were no sparks of lofty ambitions since his transmigration. Being isolated at the bottom of the ocean for more than 2 years gave him plenty of time to ponder his life's goal.
He had come to accept his new identity as the Dark Emperor, and the things that were taken from him, he will take them back eventually.
But no more than that.
He was not interested in continuing the Dark Emperor's lofty goal of taking revenge against the Ashura Empress and dominating the Nine Divine Heavens.
He might have been given some crazy perks in his second life, but he will not allow the circumstances to define who he is.
He was just a simple guy who loves his anime, manga, and novels. Everyone can look down on it, but that is his way of life.
So long as he enjoys it, why care about what other people think so much? It was his life.
Nevertheless, that was how he currently felt, not that it would be fixed through his life.
As an avid reader in his past life, he is aware of character development. Life's experiences and challenges will change a person, whether for better or worse.
[Host has an interesting outlook on life despite the apocalyptic times the host currently lives in.]
Goldfinger said.
"Well, I have yet to see how terrible this Apocalypse is, so this is just how I am. Since you have given me the Transmigrator title, you should already know that I am someone who has died and been given a second chance. Don't you think I should treasure this second life of mine?"
Albion asked.
He had read many cultivation novels.
The MC would throw themselves in many dangerous situations and battles for the opportunity to continually grow stronger. There were many times when the MC would survive purely due to luck and plot armor.
With his terrible luck thus far, he would not survive such a vicious and brutal road to invincibility. He did not have the protective halo of the MC like in those novels. The real MC had already died when he took over.
Something like this normally would not happen in a novel unless the MC can revive, or the book was ending. Of course, there was one more possibility, and that is the author was drunk.
There was no need to go out of his way and risk his life to become someone he is not just to dominate the Nine Divine Heavens. Becoming the strongest on Earth was enough.
[Hmm…]
Goldfinger was speechless. It has synchronized with the wrong host. Nevertheless, it should do its job.
Ding! Ding!
[Title acquired: A Merciful Heart.]
[Title acquired: The One Who Runs from Responsibilities.]
Albion suddenly received a pair of notifications.
"The f*ck? What do you mean 'The One Who Runs from Responsibilities,' huh?"
He asked with an upset tone.
[With great power, comes great responsibilities.]
Goldfinger explained.
"With great power, comes great responsibilities? Hello? Are you high? What great power? The great power that I cannot even use and got sealed away? I thought you were sent to help me survive, not turn me into some superhero that selflessly helps others."
Albion said mockingly.
[…The titles come with benefits. The host should check them out.]
Goldfinger dodged the question.
"…"
Albion rolled his eyes.
This was the system he knows; unreliable and perhaps, even shameless.
Nevertheless, he still followed Goldfinger's suggestion to read the title effects. It seems the titles were not just useless ornaments to make him look bad—Ahem, good.
=====
Title: A Merciful Heart
One who appreciates the values and importance of life and abhor willful killing. When encountering a hostile creature, there is a 10% higher chance the title bearer will spare it. In return, the title bearer may or may not earn the creature's goodwill.
…
Title: One Who Runs from Responsibilities
The title bearer is not a person who follows the guided path of destiny but seeks to follow one's own way. The principle 'with great power, comes great responsibility' imposed upon the strong by the weak does affect the title bearer.
When encountering dangerous situations, there is a 10% higher chance the title bearer will make logical choices for the title bearer to survive.
=====
"This does not seem too bad," Albion rubbed his chin in thought.
It was clear that the system did not understand him and only gave him titles on a whim. In other words, he could obtain titles by simply triggering the conditions, even if what he does later completely contradicts the titles.
Just because he said he doesn't want to kill, it doesn't mean he wouldn't kill. He'll kill he needs to kill, and spare when he wants to spare. The choice was at his discretion.
The world had an evil Dark Emperor, and now they have him. He was neither good nor evil.
Albion is just Albion.
The world will eventually come to understand that.
...
'Right, I should also check out the other titles,' Albion decided.
=====
Title: Hunter
One who hunts to survive. In addition to the system's benefits, there is a small chance of gaining special abilities from rare creatures hunted.
…
Title: Transmigrator
One who comes from an alternate world and exists outside the established universal laws. The title bearer is an irregularity with obscured and unpredictable fate. Diviners, Seers, Fortune Tellers, and the likes cannot peek into the heavenly secrets to predict the fortunes and future of the title bearer.
…
Title: Possessor of 10th Tribulation Lightning
The fabled 10th Tribulation holds the most mysterious and destructive power of annihilation known since the beginning of time. Such a power now rests within the title bearer. Even the Almighty cannot guess what changes this will bring.
=====
"Interesting."
Albion did not hope to find anything useful on the 10th Tribulation Lightning title, but the other two title effects had caught his interest, especially the effects of the Transmigrator.
It implies that no one can rely on the mystic arts to track him down. This gave him some levels of assurance in hiding from the four generals. They had seen his real face, so he needed to disguise himself if he wanted to return to civilization.
It seems he was destined to continue being a notorious hidden boss.
"Swordfishes? It seems I am getting close to the surface level."
He thought.
Albion quickly left the midnight zone and entered the twilight zone.
In this region of water, it was no longer complete darkness; coupled with his Yaksha's Blessing, his vision was as clear as day.
He ignored the varying species of fishes in the area and continued onwards. He entered the sunlight zone moments later and finally reached the surface of the water.
Sun blinded him with its brilliance, but Albion could not have been happier to see it. It has been a long time since he last saw the sun.
Ding!
[You have completed the quest objective. One unit of Divine Energy has been awarded. Your balance is 5/1000 Divine Energy]
The system notified him.
"Now, to find my way back to land, huh?"
Albion thought.
It was an endless stretch of ocean water around him. He soon realized that he had no sense of direction and had no idea where to go from here.
He only knew he was somewhere in the middle of the Ganymede Ocean. It was a long way back to any land from here.
"I'm completely lost, aren't I?" Albion rubbed his forehead, ruefully over his newfound predicament.
