Restrictions are self-imposed, which means that no one knows the exact multiplier one wields until they are punched in the face. Yeah—a Broken Soul made up these Sani levels to precisely estimate the power of the Slot, not the wielder. The ranking goes from Flicker to Voidborn, with Soul King imagined to be a step higher than these ridiculous ranks, at Abyssal.
Zack can tap into Sani and become the ultimate being, period. "If my willpower was strong enough, that is..." he blamed it all on his circumstances. One—who would never become a Broken Soul—might ask Zack to increase his willingness to live, thrive, and survive.
"Living and surviving are two separate things." Zack allowed this knowledge to become freely accessible in the energy stream of knowledge. "Consider yourself a prey facing a predator. It attacks, you die, and by some miracle known as Sani, you come back to life. In attempt two, you try to flee and realize that it isn't an option.
"Attempt three goes into fighting better, and so on... until you realize at your millionth attempt that only giving up will stop this vicious cycle. Even then, as a penalty, you have to surrender a million times in a row, allowing the predator to ravage you.
"A stupid pennace—yeah, I know!
"This single cycle determines your so-called willpower to stay alive, and the willpower to live through this cycle ten times over earns you the rank of Flicker. And if you think this is bonkers, there are several such cycles, from the ones that need you to hold onto your memories—while always wondering if they are true—holding yourself back—because a single thought can influence reality—and so on... I'll leave the rest to your imagination, because from now on, everything is nothing but that!"
Zack stretched his fingers, his imagination creating phantom pains of writing the entire essay. "Do yourself a favor and return to your boring, naive, simulated life. There's beauty in automation, and its worth shall only turn into regret upon its demise."
To Zack's surprise, his warnings were considered top-tier and placed up front for any new Sani user who could access the 'stream of knowledge' or the journals.
"Why didn't anyone add warnings to this godly power until now?" Zack yelled at everyone, disbelief clouding his eyes.
"Epiphanies." Solgrave casually shrugged.
"Culture." The sisters mimicked Solgrave.
"Stupid." Bazuka scolded Zack after reading the new warning in the stream.
"Definitely is..." Pinky and Psycho agreed.
"Perspective," Lux said.
Zack realized his blunder and crawled back into his core, cutting himself off from the world, and struggling to undo his stupidity. He forgot that, though he spent a lot of time coming up with these so-called newfound ideas, it all happened in a fraction of a second and inside his core—where epiphanies are but a whim away. There was no time magic involved; it was just the difference between the first ever created computer solving the most complicated problem, compared to his current supercomputer of a mind.
In short, Zack's mind simply worked faster, with his stupidity also getting a boost.
Solgrave pulled Zack out of his shell, realizing another weakness of the shield. "Doesn't work if you can't see the attack coming or if it's hostile." He smiled.
"I know you're broken and all, but can you first spew out the words of encouragement, then look at me as if I am a tool?" Zack asks, frowning.
"Uh, um--yeah, that!" Solgrave looked at Azrith, having already forgotten his initial line of thought.
"We all did it. Nothing to worry about!"
"Yeah! That." Solgrave pointed at Azrith, proud of himself.
"Say it!" Zack glared.
"All of us here had tried to—but failed miserably—to make the world a better place. You can call it another test, in which you passed with flying colors."
"I tried to attack you after receiving the power from you!"
"That's also a given. And frankly, I'd be more scared if you didn't." Solgrave said in a rather serious tone.
"Grim," Zack noted, his emotions switching off.
"We are broken." Lux agreed. "That's indisputable. Yet, this unknown sense to help others gives us a small redeeming quality."
"Then, I shouldn't undo it?"
"No--no, that you definitely should," Pinky said.
"Our initial assessment still stands," Bazuka says without any remorse.
"Ouch!" Zack rolled his eyes.
"Narrative--shareitive, another's perspective always clouds one's mind, you fool." DJ raps, his words penetrating and etching themselves into Zack's journal.
"Your Slots are a natural counter to mine." Zack gaped at DJ.
"Not true." Dj shook his head. "But not false either."
"Until you learn to control your emotions." Solgrave patted Zack, encouraging him to learn faster. "If we can finally leave the boring recruitment stage and get back to the real world-ending threat at hand, that would be lovely."
"Talk for yourself." Said Pinky. "This is the most stimulus we have had in a while."
"How can fighting with superhuman abilities not be fun?" Zack frowned at Pinky.
"When your target turns out to be a Vessel-level Broken Soul." Lux countered.
"Oh, that makes sense," Solgrave said, snapping his fingers.
Ten figures—former members of Y and Z divisions—materialized in the room, completely calm and collected.
"Thanks, sir." They bowed as a collective.
"Nah!" Solgrave waved them off. "Nothing I wished to do. All part of the contract."
"Harsh!" Zack expressed his disgust on their behalf.
"Zack, dear." A man who looked eerily similar to the Monopoly man said. "It's been—"
Solgrave snapped his finger once more, forcefully teleporting all of the summons.
"We all had taken care of you at one point or another," Lux explained.
"I got that part." Said Zack. "But why does everyone look like a game character? Wait, don't answer." He sank back into his core, utilizing the supercomputer in epiphany land. "They took on the characteristics of their current clients' favorite characters." He deduced, getting silent applause from Lux. "Why don't I remember any of them?"
"Changed appearance. Dumbness. Stupidity. Take your pick." Solgrave waved off the question. "I thought we were past the initiation. And if you're not, take it up on your own time. Seeing you've mastered the epiphanies' side effect of your core, it shouldn't take much time." He snatched Zack's ability to talk—the appearance of a dulling lightbulb making it clear that he had many follow-up questions. "I'm guessing the Vessel didn't let you escape." He asked, and Lux nodded.
"How did you survive?" Azrith asked, puzzled.
"We used up every ounce of backup energy Solgrave lent us," Pinky said, nervously twisting her pigtails.
"Won't work on me." Solgrave dismissed Pinky's lure.
"Must have a Slot related to trapping." He briefly wondered before getting furious at Lux.
"I thought our division was the best at researching our targets. You know, as you'lot suck at fighting, and gathering as much knowledge as possible beforehand was the only strategy!?" He reminded Lux of his oath during his initiation.
"We aren't stupid enough to fight a Vessel. It wasn't even our target." Lux burst out in fury. "Wait! I-- didn't-- how?"
Lux found Zack's shield covering and reducing Solgrave's presence on him, allowing his pent-up frustration to let loose. So he promptly smacked Zack in the head and reclaimed his cowardly posture.
"Proud of you." Solgrave gave Zack a Thumbs-up, half of him radiating pride.
"Awful reaction speed." He simultaneously scolded Lux, the other half radiating disappointment and a half–frown.
'He definitely left his humanity behind.' Zack made a mental note.
"Sorry, m'lord." Lux bowed.
"You guys should seriously learn more about titles and royalty," Zack said.
"It's an exercise." Said Bazuka. "I'll fill you in later."
"Training while doing nothing." Zack smiled. "You have no clue how normally fantastic this is—fantasy-wise."
"What!?" Everyone blurted out at once.
"Search for training arc in the fantasy section of the knowledge stream."
Everyone did as they were told and sighed in unison.
"I invented that before the first author was even born." Solgrave scoffed.
Zack was sure Solgrave dove deeper than required and was talking about the divine authors of holy scriptures, so he pushed the conversation elsewhere.
After a few other unnecessary topics, Solgrave forced everyone back onto the mainstream by stretching his hand forward and condensing a part of his Sub-Space into pure energy.
"Use it wisely." He tossed it to Lux.
Lux caught the massive ball of energy with both hands, still dropping to his knees by the sheer force of power within the ball.
"Yes..." he grunted, as the ball shrank to the size of a marble that he tucked away.
Solgrave repeated the process with the rest, each of them receiving a different size ball—based on what they could handle, Zack assumed.
When it was his turn, Zack spread his hands wide, took a wider stance, and braced for impact, realizing way too late that he still didn't accept their invitation to join their division. "Oops!"
"For fucksakes, decide fast." Solgrave scolded.
For gods who could decide the fate of the universe and decipher complex equations in moments, they sure circle around the simplest tasks forever.
"See, I don't think we are the smartest," Zack argues.
"For fucksakes." The group scolded him together. "Decide first—monologue later!"
———<>||<>——— End of Chapter twenty-one. ———<>||<>———