Chapter 2: Otherworldly System II

The ringing in my ears lingered, accompanied by the incessant dance of blue and red lights that relentlessly assaulted my senses. My head throbbed, and a queasy sensation threatened to overwhelm me, as if the world itself were spinning. Yet amidst the chaos, I couldn't shake off or make sense of the words that had appeared in the shimmering silver light before me.

[Warning: You, The Author, are not allowed to meet Kaiser, The Protagonist. If you do, you will die.]

"What utter bull!" I scoffed.

I read those words again, my brows furrowing in frustration. I could feel my blood boiling. "Who the hell came up with this ridiculous rule?! I can't even meet my protagonist? What nonsense!"

Think about it: Kaiser was like a son to me, a character forged with every drop of blood, sweat, and time I had. It even drained most of my neurons, and yet, I'm not allowed to meet him? Absolute absurdity!

Look, without Kaiser, I couldn't cheat this world. The body I've got is so frail that a run-in with a puny slime could be the end of me. How much more in the scenarios yet to unfold!

Kaiser is the ultimate powerhouse in this monster-infested world. He's my golden ticket to survival, equipped with stats that put everyone else to shame. His body is a masterpiece, tough enough to handle whatever comes his way. Anyone in my shoes would see Kaiser as the perfect weapon and shield.

"Urgh!!!"

I seethed with anger and disappointment, temporarily forgetting the pain. It felt like someone had plunged a knife into my chest. As I reeled from the sensation, I finally noticed the multitude of windows blinking in red and blue, engulfing the space around me, now shrouded in darkness. Words materialized before my eyes.

[Soul Stability Status: Stable]

[Transferring you to Rs Ss****s Space.]

"Huh? That's a lot of asterisks—!"

A sudden pull of gravity churns my stomach. I have no time to prepare myself as I'm forcefully dropped into a seemingly bottomless hole.

"WHOEVER'S BEHIND THIS D*MN SYSTEM, SCREW YOU!!!"

I have no idea how long the fall lasts; it feels like I've been plunged into an endless tunnel of darkness. My senses start to blur, leaving me questioning whether I'm truly awake or if my eyes are deceiving me. Yet, I can feel my body hurtling downward with intense speed.

Suddenly, I heard a 'pop'—like a balloon being pricked—and then felt a softness I'd never experienced before brushing against my skin. "Ah!"

A sudden flash of light stung my eyes. 'This system must want to blind me.'

As my vision adjusted, I realized I was seated on a beanbag covered in black fur, sparkling like tiny silver stars. Looking around, I was left gaping in awe. The room was suspended in open space; constellations, galaxies, nebulae, and the entire universe lay before me, stretching from floor to ceiling and wall to wall.

But what caught my eye even more were the floating decorations inside: a round, ornate table adorned with all sorts of refreshments and desserts. It was as if they were laid out just for me, accompanied by a single luxurious chair.

In my country, there's a superstitious belief that if some entity offers you food, you mustn't eat it, or else you'll be trapped in that place forever, becoming one with them. Despite this warning, I couldn't resist indulging myself.

Well, they're my favorites after all—these delicious macaroons, pies, and especially this black tea. Just a single sip has the power to wash away all my worries. "Hmm~ Pure luxury!"

"Anyway, where am I?"

The next thing I saw was a piece of paper gradually landing on my plate, followed by the emergence of a silver fountain pen with a very sharp point.

Curiously, I read its contents:

[Under the law of the Constellation Yoohdok, governing the flow of life and death on Planet 105149 as connected to the book, "[Syntellizyor Way to Become Monarch: Kaiser's Era]," I, Ryzen Xarzos Gayagoy, the human author, am obligated to save the lives of characters not destined to die early. [See more...]

Failure to fulfill this obligation will result in death, with memories and identities completely erased from people and world history. The soul will cease to exist and will never be reborn again.

All statements mentioned above are authentic and irreversible.

I, Ryzen Xarzos Gayagoy, author of [Syntellizyor Way to Become Monarch: Kaiser's Era], a human playing the role of the God of Death, willingly accept my punishments.

Signed,

Ryzen Xarzos Gayagoy

Author]

"Holly h*ll!"

"What did I just read?"

I stared at the paper again, the "[see more…]" section appearing even more suspicious. This had to be a fraud or a scam. And the punishment? It was absurdly severe. It's about me, yet I have no say in revising it?

Well, who says I'll sign this? I folded the paper into a paper plane and launched it with all my might. It soared on a perfectly straight trajectory until it was out of sight. But to my dismay, it ended up back on the table, unfolded, and looking as new as before.

"Tsk."

This time, I crumpled it up with all my pent-up frustration and threw it like a professional pitcher, but it still landed on the table. It seemed like this room was caught in an infinite loop.

With that thought in mind, I attempted to tear the paper, stomp on it, pour tea over it, and do anything else I could think of, but all it did was drain my energy. Exhausted, I collapsed onto the floor, unable to muster the strength to stand. As if mocking me, the paper landed on my face.

Sighing, I reluctantly admitted that reading the phrase again—"interrupting the flow of life and death"—made my hands tremble.

"There are too many deaths in the novel, and these words are telling me that what I wrote as mere entertainment is a reality on that planet?"

Who in their right mind would think this is sane? Suddenly being accused of murder, playing the role of some god of death where people die because of what you wrote. Who would accept that? And to save them? D*mn, that's over a million lives!

"This is crazy!"

I want to believe this is just a dream induced by the alcohol I drank a while ago. However, my hopes are shattered when the silver fountain pen on the table levitates and suddenly pierces through my hand, which was holding the paper.

"Ugh!"

Instantly, blood flows like a river, every drop sucked in by the enchanted paper without waste. The pain, akin to a bee sting, jolts me into the realization that this is all too real.

After a moment, the paper glows, and an insignia of a black feather emerges, affixing itself to the back of my left hand while slowly healing the wound. Then, as suddenly as they appeared, the paper and pen vanished.

[Contract Confirmed]

[Based on the book "Syntellizyor Way to Become Monarch: Kaiser's Era," connected to the fate of people on Planet 104951, to change its flows towards the right path.]

[Author, Ryzen Xarzos Gayagoy, agrees to the terms and conditions as follows:]

1. The author is inclined not to meet, communicate, or touch the protagonist within a 50-meter radius until a certain condition is fulfilled.

2. Characters mentioned to be saved must be saved successfully without interrupting Kaiser's (protagonist) destiny.

3. The author is not allowed to ask for help on his given task among the key characters that were alive until Chapter 868.

4. The author mustn't leak any information regarding the book's origin and the future it holds, his identity as an author, the planet he came from, the deaths of the characters, and especially THE SYSTEM, to any existence connected to Planet 104951 until a certain condition is fulfilled.

5. Lastly, the author is not allowed to kill any human or species under the protection of Constellation Yoohdok.

[Failing to adhere to any condition mentioned above is punishable by death.]

After reading the contract, my body automatically sits up straight. "Fuck... What's all this?".

A cold sweat breaks out as I digest each condition. It feels like someone is gripping my neck, making it hard to breathe. The realization that my life hangs on following these rules makes me wonder if the system is really out to get me.

[ Additional conditions not punishable by death… ]

[ The author is prohibited from using or contemplating any cursed profanity.]

[Failure to adhere to this restriction will result in a mute lasting for 5 minutes for each offending word.]

"What the h*ll--- hmph! Hmmp?!!!" 

[The author is temporarily muted for 5 minutes.]

The timer starts counting down, and I find myself unable to speak. Worse, I can't even open my mouth. It feels as though some invisible force is sealing it shut. This realization dawns on me, even though I perceive the conditions as insane and fraudulent. I'm rendered powerless; if I violate these rules, I will surely meet my demise.

No matter how messed up, unfortunate, or unlucky my situation may be, I've never entertained the thought of giving up on life, not even once. I strongly detest the idea of dying early without achieving any of my goals. I still harbor desires, such as living in luxury with tons of money while doing nothing.

However, what irks me the most is losing to the System.

"I'm the type of person who spends money on gacha games until I succeed. Bring it on, fucking system!"

[The system detected a cursed word; the time duration has been extended to 10 minutes.]

'Sh--t! Force of habit.'