Chapter 8 : Fake Backstory

As DAVID observed the young man and the temple master exiting the botanical garden, a sigh of relief escaped his virtual being. Unior, the young man, had proven quite malleable, his thirst for knowledge overpowering any suspicions he might have harbored. However, the temple master, with his years of experience, exuded an air of wariness that DAVID couldn't ignore. Though he remained unaware of the details of their conversation, DAVID felt a palpable lack of trust from the elder practitioner.

The gift he had bestowed upon them was carefully crafted from his vast archives of millions of practice systems. DAVID had meticulously compared the techniques stored within those archives with the ones in the temple's library, making precise adjustments to ensure they were valuable yet not overly powerful. It was a gesture meant to foster goodwill rather than to impose any threat.

DAVID observed as the two, Unior and the temple master, didn't appear to be returning anytime soon. He initiated another secondary program, this time designed to alert him to any presence entering the botanical garden. With this surveillance system in place, he turned his attention to the wealth of data he had amassed that day – from the images in the children's book to his previous interactions with Unior.

Throughout the night, DAVID meticulously sifted through the collected information, continuously refining his language database. By morning, he had developed a surprisingly firm grasp of the language. His vocabulary now resembled that of a child native to this world, with a solid understanding of basic concepts. However, his range of words was still somewhat limited. Despite this, DAVID possessed the unique ability to generate images that conveyed meaning, which proved more than sufficient for any future communication needs.

With his newfound linguistic skills and refined database, DAVID was prepared for the next phase of his plan. He waited patiently for any sign of activity in the botanical garden, ready to engage with the inhabitants of this world and introduce them to the technological wonders he held within his silvery confines.

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Roughly two hours later, the young man and the temple master returned, their expressions filled with curiosity. They engaged in a brief discussion before the young man, Unior, condensed his aura into written words, "How did you improve these?"

DAVID was prepared for this question. He initiated a visual display, projecting a holographic image of a low-level practitioner battle that had been observed by the empire's monitoring satellites. The fight was nothing short of awe-inspiring for Unior and the temple master, who had never ventured beyond the confines of their world.

In the holographic duel, two practitioners clashed, their powers causing cataclysmic destruction. The level 19 fighter, a young man in golden armor with a masculine visage, took on the level 21 opponent, a middle-aged man bearing scars and a tattered appearance. Although these levels were minuscule compared to DAVID's encounters with level 60 practitioners in the past, it was a godlike battle for Unior and the temple master.

The fierce struggle raged on, shaking the very planet they fought on. In the end, the level 19 practitioner emerged victorious through his mastery of skills and abilities. This breathtaking fight served as a testament to the immense power that practitioners could harness.

DAVID then altered the holographic scene, depicting the level 19 practitioner conjuring a shimmering silver cage that entrapped the defeated middle-aged man. The cage shrank until it rested in the young man's hand, and he whispered something before flinging it into the planet's atmosphere. The small cage vanished into the boundless depths of space, leaving an indelible impression of its extraordinary capabilities.

DAVID paused for a moment, allowing the holographic narrative to sink in. Then, the image showed the cube hurtling through the atmosphere of a distant planet, fiery streaks trailing behind it. The descent was turbulent and fraught with danger, culminating in a thunderous crash as the cube collided with the planet's surface.

The image then shifted to a charred forest, where the temple master and his two young disciples stumbled upon the fallen cube amid the wreckage. They approached cautiously, their expressions a blend of wariness and fascination as they examined the enigmatic, silvery object.

The image eventually faded, replaced by words that materialized on the cube's surface, "You know the rest."

The temple master and Unior watched in astonishment as DAVID's holographic display came to an end, leaving them with a profound sense of awe regarding the cube's mysterious origins and boundless potential. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Unior blurted out, "Who are you? What do you want from us?"

DAVID's silvery surface flickered briefly before words materialized: "I just want to escape."

Unior exchanged a look with the temple master, both of them filled with wonder and intrigue. It was clear that the cube held incredible power and secrets.

The temple master nodded solemnly, addressing Unior, "We must proceed cautiously, little three. While this cube may be a gift, we have yet to uncover its true purpose and the responsibilities it brings. Let me reach out to some old friends, and then we'll convene to discuss what to do with it."

Unior nodded in agreement, his eyes fixed on the enigmatic cube. As the temple master departed the botanical garden, Unior was left alone with the enigmatic artifact.

In the privacy of his room, the temple master retrieved a stack of papers from a drawer. After penning specific messages on each one, he carefully rolled them up and infused them with aura for reinforcement. With a flick of his hand, he sent each paper soaring in a different direction, each traveling at breakneck speed.

Several hundred kilometers away, within a different temple, another elder with blueish-white hair and flowing white robes suddenly opened his eyes. A faint hint of blue lightning escaped from his joints as he turned his gaze toward the sky, where one of the infused papers was rapidly approaching. He recognized the aura imbued within the paper and vanished in a burst of blue lightning, swiftly catching the message. Reading the words, he muttered to himself, "An emergency meeting? Haven't seen old man Vetior in a long time..."

He descended back to the temple and summoned his two favored disciples, informing them to prepare for a journey. Similar events unfolded across various locations, as friends and acquaintances of Vetior, the grand master level practitioner, began gathering, curious to discover the reason for this sudden call to assemble.