Private Message [Aster]

[P-System]: What do you mean?

[Aster K'lon]: I do not mean to sound ungrateful--after all, you are the reason why Jerome will be able to compete with the Eternal King--but I must admit I am the slightest bit jealous.

[P-System]: Okay, I can totally understand that. I mean, of all the people to get a power-up like this, it was Jerome? You definitely deserved it more.

[Aster K'lon]: I do appreciate the sentiment, but the fact remains that he was chosen by the gods. I cannot complain.

[P-System]: And I'd definitely try to help you, but I don't actually know how. I don't have anything to teach.

[Aster K'lon]: Then how did Jerome suddenly gain thousands of mana and health?

[P-System]: Me, duh. I'm sure Jerome has something unique to him, but literally every part of his success so far has been because of me.

[Aster K'lon]: Somehow, I am unsurprised.

[Aster K'lon]: On another note: you seem to be more coherent than before. Have you finally decided to drop the facade?

[P-System]: You knew?

[Aster K'lon]: At first, I thought you were just an abnormal System. You talked like my System to some extent, at least. However, as we interacted more, I could feel slight, subtle shifts in your personality. Different answers to questions that I'd asked before.

[P-System]: Fuck.

[Aster K'lon]: I suppose the stress of the situation got to you.

[P-System]: You could say that. But this isn't about me.

[Aster K'lon]: It can be. Just because I have a meaningless complaint doesn't mean that we don't need to examine your role and how you're feeling.

[P-System]: Have I mentioned that you're way better than Jerome? Because you are.

[Aster K'lon]: I am who I am, and he is who he is. Nothing more, nothing less.

[P-System]: Proving it again.

[P-System]: Anyway. Basically, I did the equivalent of charing up a bunch of XP and then burning that XP in a single moment to vastly increase Jerome's skills and mana and all that fun shit. I don't know if I've got the ability to do it with someone else.

[Aster K'lon]: I see. Perhaps going to P'lor will reveal a way that it can be done. That city holds many ways to understand and unveil secrets.

[P-System]: Sure. Works for me.

[Aster K'lon]: In the meantime...

Party Chat

[Aster K'lon]: I propose that after we rest, we approach the [Epic] and [Legendary] dungeons.

[Thron of the Fallen Skies]: But that's suicide.

[K]: As someone who fell in a [Rare] dungeon myself, I must concur.

[Aster K'lon]: We have someone with us who can ensure it's not.

[Jerome Smith]: Hi.

[Arcs S'tar]: I don't see how that's any different.

[Aster K'lon]: As he demonstrated earlier, Jerome is capable of ending any credible threat to our lives.

[Jerome Smith]:I can kill anything that gets in our way, yeah.

[K]: Won't he just take all the XP points, then?

[Aster K'lon]: Have you ever heard of switch-training?

[Jerome Smith]: That's an Earth term. A term specific to gaming. How do you know that?

[Aster K'lon]: ...you do know you're not the first reincarnator I've handled, right?

[Jerome Smith]: Oh.

[Thron of the Fallen Skies]: The hell's switch-training? That where you use a switch to punish a disciple for failure? I would much rather not.

[K]: I played Pokemon too... switch-training is where you send in a weak Pokemon--er, uh, player, I guess, for lack of a better word--against a strong enemy and then killing it with a more powerful 'mon. Basically, Aster's suggesting we have Jerome carry us through the dungeon and get XP by hitting them along the way.

[Arcs S'tar]: That is referred to as leeching in this region. I am familiar with the practice.

[Thron of the Fallen Skies]: Oh, it was about leeching...

[Jerome Smith]: Oh. Is that a no?

[Arcs S'tar]: Not a no. It is generally viewed as an immoral practice, but I cannot deny how much of an opportunity this is.

[Thron of the Fallen Skies]: Eh. Aster, you may decide. I think it's a decent opportunity. A lot more than most leechers stand to gain.

[Jerome Smith]: There's really nothing immoral about it. We can just hit hard dungeons and get you guys leveled up. No swweat off my back.

[Thron of the Fallen Skies]: There's honor in earning your XP, boy. Not to say I don't want to do it, but there is dignity to maintain.

[Jerome Smith]: Ah.

[P-System]: Seriously, it's not that deep. Thron, Arcs, if you have some issue with honor, just fight until you can't anymore and then let Jerome take over. Okay?

[Arcs S'tar]: That sounds... reasonable. Why can the System talk again?

[Jerome Smith]: I have no fucking idea. Maybe something triggered it to get smarter at the same time I got that massive XP boost. I wouldn't be surprised. Lots of shit is going wild today.

[Aster K'lon]: So... are you amenable?

[Arcs S'tar]: Why the hells not. We can try the [Epic] dungeon first. Less risk of death there.

[Aster K'lon]: And a milder death as well, if it comes to that. Less intense deaths are reversible with the right skill.

[Arcs S'tar]: Not if you don't have access to a [Healer] or [Cleric] class member, which we don't.

[Aster K'lon]: I have a connection in the city. He can perform [Lesser Resurrect], and with Jerome's movement capabilities, it should be possible to get a dead party member there in time.

[Thron of the Fallen Skies]: Works for me.

[K]: And me.

[Jerome Smith]: Alright then. Rest first, heal up, and then go? Or do you want to go now?

[Arcs S'tar]: Four hours.

P-System Log

They're taking this surprisingly well. I guess when it comes down to it, this world is kind of fucked up after all. There's a war going on out there, one that I haven't been fully involved in yet but have seen the tidings of, and their relative stoicism kind of reflects that. Don't question the hand that feed or something like that.

Oh well. It's a little odd to watch, but it certainly makes my job easier. All I need to do is step in if it looks like they're about to die. I don't even need to worry about them finding out who I am, because apparently they just all accepted the idea that I could talk now. I mean, Aster already knew, and Jerome kind of saw me do it before, but the other three really just don't give a shit. I wonder what they have to see here on the daily that this doesn't even phase them.

Adventuring seems to give good returns though. Their lunch is one that would've made my mouth water if--you know the deal already. Steaks from an animal that definitely isn't a cow, seasoned vegetables with something that vaguely resembles olive oil, and, for some reason, a completely mundane dish of pasta. Jerome ate already, and now he's just pacing around, waiting for something to happen.

P-System Message Are you prepared? Hero's Personal Log 092 As well as I'll ever be. Hell, that's probably because of you. I don't know how you evolved so fast, but it's kind of nice. P-System Message Due to excessive overuse of XP, further advancement has temporarily been locked except for extreme circumstances. Hero's Personal Log 093 That's totally fine. Honestly, [Edgelord] and [Unblockable] are already super strong, so all I've got to worry about is defending. Which isn't actually a worry, because I have like 7000 HP now. P-System Message Correct. Hero's Personal Log 094 Seriously, thanks a billion. I'm unstoppable now. P-System Message We'll see about that one. Hero's Personal Log 095 So, about this whole thing with you actually being able to speak now... did you actually evolve? Or have you just been holding out on me all this time? P-System Message Sufficient expenditure of mana and XP meant that I gained further awareness. Hero's Personal Log 096

Oh, that's neat. So like unlocking more of your brain? That's metal as fuck.

Man... I hope this dungeon isn't too boring. Even then, it feels like there's other stuff to deal with. There was that message from the R Beasts after the fight, and that was kind of scary...

P-System Message We'll get there when we get there. In the meantime, go fail to seduce Aster or something. Whatever you usually do when you've got downtime. Hero's Personal Log 097 Hey! P-System Log

Jerome ended up just chatting shit with the others. Not much productive conversation, more like a "what did you do before adventuring" type of beat and Jerome discussing his favorite games from the past. Four hours passed by pretty slowly, but they did end up passing.

So. Here we go. First attempt at boosting go!

Hero's Tomb

Turn back or face the consequences.

No? Then do your utmost to survive.

Initiating dungeon.