[ I’m sure you’re a little terrified of this item after hearing all that. ]

‘I am.’

[ But be at ease. The reason this item was stored by us the Mendeleyev Family for so long was to erase the memory of the A.I. inside. It ended up being more complex than expected so we had to compromise. Most advanced data like the DNA records was wiped along with it. The orb only has its base parameters left.

By all means, how safe or dangerous it will be, relies on you Izo. Don’t be hesitant to reset it however many times you deem necessary. Be on the safe side, ok? ]

‘Mendeleyev Family? I knew it. Jane wasn’t so simple. Such a huge background though.’

Izo doesn’t know why she was acting as a scout but she had been his biggest supporter, dead, comatose or spiritually neutered as he was right now. He would repay this support.

The bioweapon orb was still inside the backpack, inert. Izo should turn it on but for now he delayed it and checked the other items.

[ Maxima Long Gun

A long range semi-automatic rifle blessed by the priestsmiths of the Theocracy. Not only does it pack a massive penetrating power, it also imbues its bullets with spiritual damage.

A solid choice for taking out spiritual beings like demons or undead from extreme distances. ]

It sat there in its compact form, taking up the whole length of the bag. Once the button was pressed, it would elongate to near the Ural’s height.

‘A shame I only have 50 bullets.’

Could be many or few defending on how liberal Izo was with the sniper rifles use.

‘This gun should be very loud so I must be smart when using it. Probably, for high priority targets.

[ Soul Defense Talisman (Passive)

A piece of spiritual paper cut from a Fey tree. Can block one C grade, 30 D grade, 300 E grade soul attacks in a 3 meter radius.

Warning! Anyone other than the user would have their soul attacks blocked inside the radius. ]

[ Mana Barrier

An enchanted necklace that once worn can be activated by voice, thought or touch. Can block 3 C grade, 90 D grade, near infinite E grade attacks in a 3 meter radius.

Warning! Anyone other than the user would have their physical attacks blocked inside the radius. ]

Very practical of Jane and Sun Hee. Since he couldn’t use aby active protection, he would’ve been a skinless chicken with little defense and liable to die to the cold.

Izo continued reading their help guides before realizing how much there was. It contained countless guides and experiences of successful explorers. There was common spiritual arts, skills and enemies that he never got the chance to encounter.

Added to that were the manuals for every piece of equipment but most importantly the Ural. It seems that it still has really helpful functionalities that he haven’t the occasion to use yet.

‘This would take time.’

That was something that he didn’t have the luxury to waste. Though the city has been beyond calm with little danger for now, who knows when that could change.

Plus, he really wants to get back to Sun Hee. Hearing her confession almost made him lose rationality and when he gets vack to her. Oh how Izo would blanket her with affection.

This place was robbing him of the warmth of a maiden. Unforgivable. Maybe he doesn’t know how to even escape this city just yet but if he was extremely motivated.

‘Unfortunately, this place is not conducive to contacting the Nexus.’

Within the manual by Jane and Sun Hee were information about dimension communication and travelling. There was even ways to construct the teleporter or portal to allow travel from here to the Nexus and vice versa.

The only problem was the difficult to fulfill conditions for the building materials and locations. This dead city didn’t have both.

‘Now lets set a few goals.’

Doing this would allow him to keep his focus. Izo ordered the Ural to create a new document titled “Operation: Happiness”.

[ Strategic Goals:

Establish contact with the Nexus and go back.

Tactical Goals:

Food and water. Escape the city. Strengthen myself. Understand what happened to this world. ]

Izo had to think about what he needs to do to achieve the strategic goal. In the end, this were the most important and he ordered it according to immediate importance.

In his bag was 3 weeks of food and water. Since these were long lasting ones, Izo should use them for emergencies.

‘Though I’ve not seen a living thing here except for grass. Wait, that’s now true.’

He remembered the weird spaced eye creature from the sewers.

‘There should be other living things there. The radiation and toxins however.’

Izo went to the Ural manual and checked for a food safety tester that he skimmed past earlier.

[ A standard functionality among explorer G.R.E.D. suits, the food analyzer’s results must be treated with skepticism. The sheer variety of dimensions renders it to 90% accuracy.

Whenever in doubt, user should consume the supplies brought in or consult a food guide when in a well explored dimension. ]

‘Why can’t things be simple?’

Izo sighed. Life will never be simply it seems. He’ll just have to learn to discern which food was safe or not.

He continued reading for a bit more. If he didn’t start wading through the mud, Izo would never get through this swamp of a manual.

[ Dimensional safety could be classified into dark, grey or light dimensions.

Dark dimensions are unexplored, highly hostile or a variety of the two. The most rewarding for explorers simply for giving the coordinates of the world. Rewards increases with the resources lf the dimension.

Grey dimensions are the most varied. Explored but still dangerous, this dimensions are popular for their relative safety and steady income.

Light dimensions are the allies, vassals, or home dimensions. Other than the Nexus itself, this places contain the population of most of the empires. ]

‘Wait a minute. Am I in a dark dimension then?’

There was a list of known dimensions written here so Izo diligently skimmed through it.

‘Eternal night, abundance of undead…’

There was no world that fit this criteria.

‘Fuck me then.’

After reading the more essential sounding parts, Izo felt that he had a good idea of what to do. At least, he wasn’t so scared any more of trying to survive alone in this dark dimension.

‘There will be no predecessor to guide me, fine. I’ll just have to do my best.’

This sentiment also applies to what he was about to do next.

He took out the spherical orb from his backpack. Its color wasn’t a bright red but more of a metallic crimson or what he hated his brain for to think about, dried blood.

Once grasped in his palm, Izo’s finger only reached halfway the sphere. It was small but within it was a catastrophic power.

Izo was treating it like a grenade as he consulted the manual on how to activate it.

[ To ensure maximum security, one’s spiritual imprint is required. This would ensure that no other being may use it.

For first startup, place user’s hand on the orb then speak once or think thrice “Platform boot up” then squeeze.

Follow-up commands can be given through speaking once or thinking thrice. ]

After that was other alternative commands but most importantly the wipe command.

Izo made sure to be ready to wipe it any point in the future as he completed the start up process.

[ Hello, master! I am a Gene Editor Platform ready for service. Kindly concentrate and send me your order through the link. ]

It was a young girl’s “voice” or whatever it is since it was just like how they were able to talk in the Nexus. There was a link to their souls where they could send their intentions.

And this orb does contain a soul. It only appeared once he turned it on though.

‘Wait. Every new instance of boot up, it a new soul- a new organism? Wiping its memory is killing it?’

Izo will now have to be responsible for this new born life. He gulped as the A.I. grew confused from his silence. Izo concentrated sending his words through the link between souls.

[ Umm. I n-need to get a food source. ]

[ If we can find an appropriate organism master, I could modify it to fit your biology. I humbly request master’s DNA to add to my data bank. It would be required to facilitate the order. ]

Not only the words were sent to his mind, the forthright and innocent intention behind it was as well.

Izo felt a heavy responsibility as his first words would have massive influence in this new being’s future life.

[ Yes, I will give you my DNA later but first. Do you feel my unease and fear?]

[ Un-ease? Fear? ]

[ An organism’s instinct when its life is in danger. I feel scared of you because… ]