Re:Calibration / GAMBERING!!

My thoughts were racing a mile a minute in anticipation of my new journey in this new world. And only a few moments later, I felt something again. But what I could see and hear was still a blank and endless void.

Not for long though as I began to regain my sense of hearing soon after; I heard new things again. Presumably the outside world, and another familiar voice. << System, calibrating. >> A loading bar appeared in my vision.

I waited patiently as the loading bar filled up and hit the 100% mark, which enabled me to finally see again and was meet with a concrete ceiling and blinding lights. On the uppermost left was a bar for energy(?), and to the right was health bar.

Right below the energy(?) bar was what I assume to be a map.

<> System Online. <> The familiar voice rang again. << Initiating tutorial.... Please stand up and pick a weapon of choice. >>

I was pleasantly suprised about the voice. "Onee-chan...." I spoke to the system interface but I was only met with silence. "Onee-chan-"

<> Zenin! Focus on the tutorial! <> My sister's voice blasted at me.

"So it is you...." I smiled.

<> I said focus on the tutorial!! <> I let out a chuckle as I stood up.

I raised my hands and repeatedly clenched, and unclenched them. "I really am a 'robot' now..." I spoke as put down both my arms and looked forward to a wall filled with myriads of weapons. I approached the wall of weapons as I began to choose.

"Swords? Nah, overrated." I looked to the bottom, "Polearms, good choice, really. But I ain't overcoming trauma any time soon..." then I looked to the right:

"Daggers and short swords, overused these days." Then finally looked to the left where a couple of gauntlets lay gloriously, glinting with a spark I couldn't see elsewhere.... I swear it's not bias.

I took a good pair as I put them on and I immediately felt the weight of the weapon with the bulk it added to my arms. << Please exit the room and follow the guidelines on the map. >> My sister's voice rang in my ears. "Alright, alright. Slow down will ya?"

I made my way inside the indside the building while curiously passing through many other rooms along the hallway before I finally arrived before a giant door, leading to the outside world. To it's right was a mechanism with a hole in the middle.

I approached the lever as felt my instincts overcome me and I inserted my hand into the mechanism and sent a pulse of energy(?) into it, and the giant door immediately rumbled as the pilling dust shook and fell to the floor.

Light seeped through the cracks as I beheld the scene that entered my view with complete amazement. The sun was barely peeking on the horizon, shedding blinding light upon a giant Acacia tree on the edge of the cliff a couple hundred meters forward.

I took a couple steps forward and basked in the gentle sunlight, originating from the horizon-*Bang!* -abruptly dodging to the left with a quick roll, I stood up to full height and looked towards the source of distraction, only to see torn and weary humanoid robots.

<< Enemies have appeared! >> Her voice rang. << Eliminate them and move towards the Acacia tree. >>"Alright, alright." I spoke as I got to a boxing stance, facing a total of three enemies. The one that attacked from earlier was the first to charge.

But before it could even attack me I blitzed a straight towards its face— *BANG!* —stunning it. A hungry buzz tugged in my heart as retracted my fist, the vivid sensation still fresh in my mind. "Strange..." I muttered, trying to sort the feeling.

I ducked forward and dodged a feral claw and threw a hook with all my force, ripping out chunks of metal scraps out of the 'thing' that attacked me, the sound of echoing steel buzzing on my sensors as my 'heart' began to rapidly beat.

'There it is again.' I thought as I took a couple steps back, taking . Every beat of my 'heart', the tempo of my 'breathe', every movement of my largest 'muscles', down to very smallest fibers in my body... I felt them resonate together for one purpose.

'A jab.' My right leg back, relaxed, my left leg forward, my left arm bended to my face and my right tensing, frame by frame, I could see how it would play out. I threw my hand forward as I twisted my wrist while doing so, every twitch and movement perfectly coordinated.

By trading a greater reach, bending my knees in tension putting my weight on my left leg, I swung my right hand with force, rotating it as it did so. *Bang!* My fist collided with the creature's face as it turned a 180 before it fell to the ground to the thud.

That was instinct, the perfected expression of pure and instinctual movement. Raw and unadulterated power performed in such a fashion of instinctual motion. Backing up again, I got into the same position as earlier, but with different intent.

The third, unharmed creature charged at me as my perception of time slowed down to a significant level. I bent my knees and sprung forward, my left fist speeding towards its head. 'It.... feels off.' I thought as my fist that had now greater reach incured a collision.

*Bang!*

That was technique, the perfection of movement, polished and crafted to beyond the limits what is percieved to be impossible. My fist slammed on its face as it literally detached itself and flew off to wherever God knows... oh wait, you know right?

<> Zenin... I swear. Stop getting sidetracked or else we'll skip the tutorial. <>

"Oh, alright..." I spoke as I began to relax my cold metal body. "That wasn't the threat I wasn't expecting. Anyways! What were those?" I asked the voice in my head.

<> Those, are your enemies. The ones that had created the world's offset in full effect with how powerful they are. <> I raised my brow at that. At least I tried that is. "Powerful...?"

<> Ah, I forgot to mention. Those were just the weakest of the weakest of the 'mutares'. There are ones out there that can erase you health bar— and 14 more in one attack —the decent ones. Oh, also, count the numbers on it. A normal human would have about 250. <>

Heeding her suggestion, I counted the numbers and— "Holy grassssss... 25,500 damage in one hit?! That's simply outrageous!" I complained to my sister. <> You know what's more outrageous? Your growth potential that can wipe the floor with the strongest ones. <>

...

Okay, I am not complaining anymore now that I know I have the future in my hands—

<> —If you survive, that is. <> Sera suddenly interjected. "Wow, what a way to be anticlimactic...." I grunted and slumped my shoulders downwards, my thoughts spiraling downwards.

<> Ehem! <>

Her voice rang again as I slightly raised my head to glare at the wall of texts. "....What?" I asked. <> The tutorial. Stop wallowing in despair and at least finish considering your worth when you finish the tutorial where another round of chance appears. <>

My imaginary wolf ears perked at the mention of chance. "Gamber?" My voice squeaked out softly. <> Yes, Zenin.... gambering... <> she confirmed. "YEAHHHHHH—"

Ehem!

Ignoring my short outburst, I continued to happily skip away. Putting down my arms, I got unto the pebble pavement that stretched all the way towards the giant acaccia tree on the cliff edge. 

As I walked along the path, the plants on the side seemed to glow in my presence, seeing as I pass by them they immediately lit up. It was a mystical scene.

And soon enough, I had reached to the bottom of the gigantic tree. The flowers of pink-red colour swayed to the wind's rhythm, and the leaves let out a gentle hisssssssss.

I was enjoying the atmosphere, until Sera asked a question. <> Beautiful, isn't it? <> 

"Hm...???" I hummed in confusion. <> This world. <> Sera continued as I stared into the horizon. The sun barely peaking on it's edge, giving off an orange hue to the world.

"....Yeah." I simply agreed. This world is beautiful, no other words may describe it. Though it may had gone through catastrophe, wars had claimed scars on multiple times, it still is beautiful.

<> That is why you must protect this world. Why you must become the great equalizer. <>

"..." I silently pondered her words. Why me? What could I achieve? Such questions swirled inside my head, continuing to spiral downwards. Why should it be me?

<> You will know once you tether your will towards the tree. <>

Sera's voice rang again and a marker appeared on the tree. "Hahhh...." I sighed. "That's right, there's no need to think so deeply about all of this. Maybe I just need a change of pace in life."

Reaching the roots of the gigantic tree, I raised my hands up and touched the bark of the tree.

And the moment I had made contact with the tree, I felt a foreign stream of energy wash over me in a refreshing manner as a flood of information submerged my mind in the world's history.

The complete backgroundand history of the entire world was being downloaded to my mind itself by the means of energy transfer, and its name, became vivid in my mind.

"Aeon, the tree of fortuned memories." I spoke as the tree began to shake violently.

<< Teleportation waypoint unlocked. >> I smirked.

"You really made everything game-like." But before I could even relax another round of shaking occured, but this time, it was of lower intensity. "Hmm....."

<< Alert! Strong and immense waves of Exsia energy particles from  [Aeon] have alerted all nearby enemies. Defeat all incoming enemies and defend [Aeon] by summoning vallant allies! >>

I turned around as the sight of hundreds of enemies slowly making way towards [Aeon] greeted me, their sheer number was rumbling the ground.

"Well, that's not good." I muttered under my breathe I measured the weight of the situation. I, for certain, can't take on this many enemies at once.

<< Use 10(+1) premium character summoning tickets? >>

<< Yes | No ? >>

Looking back towards the screen, I immediately chose [yes]. And the moment I did so, I instinctively raised my hand upwards as a blinding light flooded the area.

The light died out, and I was still met with the same view of hundreds of enemies marching towards my direction. "Ooooookay... Did you just flash me for nothing—?"

<> You're far too impatient. <>

Just as she said that, 50 eight-pointed-stars descended from the heavens and embedded themselves on the ground. Immediately, 8 stars flew up and formed an octagon.

In the middle of it all, was a portal. And out came a person decked heavy armor, a shield, and a pretty dang long lance. "Master, I apologise that I cannot formally greet you this instant."

She looked unto the horde of enemies, her straight, bright red hair flowed against the wind as 10 other portals formed. Two pentagons, and eight rectanlges.

They formed a parabola around me with woman as the vertex of it all, and automatons(?) that really looked like people appeared out of the portals, standing tall and facing the massive horde.

"Wh—" I tried to speak, but before I got to say even a single syllable, the red haired woman raised her massive lance into the air and got into a stabbing stance— "Bloom of Elektrons." —immediately attacking the enemies.

With her stab, thunder echoed with red and bright yellow lightning descending upon the center of the horde, effectively taking out a third of all enemies in one strike.

I was speechless.

Pleasantly so, I could not describe how awesome an 8 star was, despite being level 1, mind you, there was  nearly 500 hundred enemy units— and she immediately took out a third after spawning!

"Relax, master....."

A smile crept up to my face as I stared over her looming figure, her head slightly turned back and her cold eyes glared into mine. "I'll be sure to greet you properly." Let's be honest here.

"Oh.... and I'll bring the head of the intelligence that governs this horde at your feet as petition for your forgiveness." I am pretty, no, I am entirely sure this is one of the many reasons.

This is probably why I am a gambling addict....