Author's Note:
Please don't underestimate the game difficulty.
I feel pressured after rereading the so-called my people's stats in many times right now. The system is not bothering me because I ordered it to leave me alone. The more time I wasted from doing nothing, the more I feel worried but somehow those emotions suddenly dissipated.
Notification
Zero Emotions neutralized your negative emotions.
"Oh. That's... Strangely feels great."
System: I think you need some assistance.
"I know what I'm doing."
System: I can see your problem even you have a high INT and WIS. You can't believe what you just see from your eyes and you think of it as a simulation.
System: I recommend you to think of it as a reality.
I slowly clapped my ugly hands, "Even the AI thought that I'm stupid about this because I don't believe what I just saw. I'm impressed. Don't worry, as a former general and president of my nation... I'll entertain that Cra– I mean, Blank-guy even this game sucks." I almost said HIS favorite nickname.
System: > : (
I gasped in surprise after seeing the system's reply, "Oho! You're angry now? I'm sorry, it was a joke."
System: ...
System: Tell me about your plan.
"Oh, that? Yeah. I want to ask you about that thing."
I pointed at the simple black double door that a titan shadow is enough to fit in there which was hovering right above me. I wasted so much time while doing nothing before noticing that shit.
"I used ˹Observe˼ and the only information I get is just three red capitalized words 'UNLOCKED EXIT DOOR'. Exit from what? From this place? But why these sacks of shits can't get out on their own? Is it their loyalty made them stay or is it something else that you didn't tell me?"
System: The answer to that question is... You are in a different dimension that was called the Chamber of Punishment created by the 7 Gods of Octavia. This place was designed to punish your God and the remaining shadows.
"So, their god is Blank? The one who made my ancestor's sick wishes come true but he just escaped?"
System: You are correct.
System: He and his creations were trapped in this chamber for 5 million years.
"Hmm... He's trapped for 5 million years in this fucked up prison. No wonder why he looked like shit." I commented while my index finger touched my chin.
System: Every 1,000 years inside the Chamber of Punishment is 1 year in Octavia. Staying in here for more than 1 million years will make the prisoners' stats decrease until it reached to their starter form. You must spend your time here for 1 million years before you and your people escape from this place by simply using that locked exit door.
"But it's unlocked."
System: >:)
The system is giving me that emoticon. I think it's a mischievous smile. Maybe that door is a trap. So I better copy those scums' skills.
"˹Copy-Paste˼!" I just utter the skill thing even without knowing how magic works.
New Skills have been acquired!
Dance Ball
Shadow Claw
Never Get Lucky
Shadow Armor
Ninja Run
Spoiler
Reminiscence
Black Hole
Shadow Storm
Self-Loathing
New Passive Skills have been acquired!
Play Mode
Fly Mode
Karma – An evolved form of Bad Luck Mode
Lazy Mode
Stealth Mode
Déjà vu
Dark Mode
Despair Mode
New Titles have been acquired!
Certified Gamer – This title is just an accessory. A filler to be precise.
Pilot – An evolved form of Fly-Aholic
Karma Maker - This title is just an accessory. A filler to be precise.
Fortune Teller
Diary Opener
"Now, let's try this skill. ˹Spoiler˼!" The purple crystal ball appeared on my lap and starts to float.
I held it and hoping if my attempt to see the future is successful, "What will happen if I go outside first by using that door?"
Then all I can see from the crystal ball is the 2 red words Game Over.
"That's so straight forward," I muttered as the crystal ball disappeared.
"So I have to use these 1 million years carefully before going outside."
Quest Updated
Babysitting
Rewards: ???
Countdown: 999,999 Years
I looked at my skills and smiled, "With this so much time, I guess this is enough by using my ˹Share It˼ skill. Sharing my knowledge is easy by doing this, right?"
System: I'm sorry but that skill is deactivated because of the game difficulty. It will be usable once you escaped from the Chamber of Punishment.
Reading the system's message is a bit annoying. The game itself disabled my skill and I want to test it if this is real. "Hmm... ˹Share It˼!"
Notification
˹Share It˼ skill has been disabled. This skill will be usable once the player escaped from the Chamber of Punishment.
The alternative of my plan is the Training Capsule but only humans can use it.
My smile hasn't disappeared even those easy ways were disabled, "You know what? I'm not gonna lie. This simulation is challenging. The magic thing is new to me because I'm used to Science."
System: What are you trying to do now? How will you teach them the basics?
The basics I know are the kindergarten stuff for the average kids such as reading, writing, drawing, coloring, singing nursery songs, listening bedtime stories and math. If these scums mastered English, it'll be easy to communicate with them.
I want to get a wooden stick but I'm a 70 ft. shadow. Without a warning, my right hand suddenly moves on its own and the small black portal with a diameter of 12 inches appeared. I mean, in human's perspective this must be 12 ft. Then my hand entered to that portal and I can feel that I'm holding something before pulling it out.
The item I withdrew is a 30 inches I mean, 30 ft. wooden utility pole from my inventory. In short, I acquired a stick.
"Since they're all masochists..."
Then I used that same tactic to withdraw the tiny 3D Holographic devices, speakers, orbital drones and newscasting drones that only recharged through solar energy from the sun, "I'll use that as my advantage."
"But first, let me use the Save Station. ˹Selfie˼!"
A floating thin rectangle shaped ancient technology appeared right in front of my face. Based on its size, I can hold it comfortably. Then I used my ˹Observe˼ skill.
Cellphone F. U. C.
The last model of ancient multi-purpose smartphones.
I put down the stick on the ground and held the cellphone before the image of an animated kid's drawing that looks like a rich-looking crow while holding a cane. It wears a black suit, top hat and monocle.
Surprisingly, it talks to me with a deep voice in a British accent, "Hello, user. My name is Mr. Black Feather and I'm your assistant. How can I help you?"
"Mr. Feather, how can I take the image of myself?"
He tilted his head, "You mean... Selfie? It's right this way."
The camera icon was showed right above him and I tapped it.
"Please tap the switch icon for selfie mode." Feather said as he pointed the icon through his cane.
I followed his instructions and the screen showed my face, "Thanks for your assistance. I think I get it now."
Feather bowed his head before he disappeared from the screen then I tapped the capture icon.
Notification
Your saved game file has been added to your Album.
"Mr. Feather, can you automatically activate the selfie mode every time I summon this cellphone?"
Feather cocked his head at the right side of the screen, "As you wish."
Then the cellphone disappeared.
"Now, let's get back to work," I muttered while picking up the stick from the ground.
Since my technology is limited, I wrote the schedules and lesson plans inside the Scrapbook under the main command of the Journal. Every group will consist of 150 to 200 billion students and I'm hoping that their 3 hours a day of class is not a waste of my effort.
"It's time for installation."
The drones flew on their own and I checked the GPS before noticing that the 542 orbital drones cover the whole dimension.
"I thought it only requires 50. This subspace is big, how much more Octavia? In my previous world, it only requires 3 orbital drones."
♦ ♦ ♦
Every time I used Shadow Walk and appeared on the crowded spot, the shadows immediately gave me space. Then I installed the 3D Holographic devices and speakers very carefully because my hands are too large. Unfortunately, they would like to touch those things. By using the stick to draw a circle on the ground, if they crossed the line then they'll meet my ˹Fuck You Aura˼ and fist until they learned that touching those technologies is prohibited. The punishment was also the same while drawing a gigantic hexagon in which the selected shadows are inside of it and the circle line was in the middle.
"Looks like I made huge ass honeycombs." I muttered and continued my job.
After the installation process which took me 2 months, I go back to the throne and the newscasting drones started the Live Stream. I sat on the chair and activated the other function of the Scrapbook. It presented all the letters and numbers I wrote. This day, I taught them how to read and write like how human kids learned their first day of kindergarten. Unfortunately, I can't give them any writing tools because they can disintegrate it. The only possible way to practice their writings is by using their fingers as pencils and the ground as paper.
3 Hours Later...
System: 75% of Oracles earned 1 WIS.
System: Since this progress is very impressive. New information has been discovered.
System: The atmosphere of this dimension made the progress of their knowledge absorption is 25% slower than before. Every year, their INT and WIS will decrease by 50%.
"That's very unfair but I'll take that as a challenge. 3 hours a day is enough because they might get bored if I keep teaching them the same thing. We can't keep relying on our Zero Emotions because it's not perfect."
Notification
5% of Children earned 1 WIS
8% of Crows earned 1 WIS
3% of Passerby earned 1 WIS
1% of Titans earned 1 WIS
2% of Swifters earned 1 WIS
20% of Oracles earned 1 WIS
10% of Mists earned 1 WIS
13% of Howlers earned 1 WIS
"I'm sure I turned off all the holograms and newscasting drones. How are they still earning 1 WIS?"
You acquired a new title!
Head Teacher
Congratulations!
75% of Oracles acquired Teacher title
System: The Oracles shared their knowledge to the nearest shadows.
I fell silent and stared at the blue window which was the Scrapbook that listed all my schedules. I'm impressed with those scums because they learned not to cross the line and earned 1 WIS. The most humanly shit I learned from them was sharing their knowledge with those who didn't understand what I taught to them.
"They are more human than my original race."
System: What made them more human?
I remained silent and added another schedule for more activities to make my students use their free time if they know my lingo a little such as playing chess, word games and any educational games. They only use the stones and the ground to make these games possible for them to play. At least they won't get bored.
System: Those activities you added can give your people INT and WIS.
"That's good."
System: But can you please answer my question earlier?
System: What made them more human?
"I've already seen enough, System." I answered its question.
System: Can you elaborate your answer?
"As a former leader of the last human nation in my previous world, do you think I'm blind of my surroundings?"
System: Your answer is hard to process. Can you please elaborate your answer?
"System... Can you define the word human?"
System: Human is a species of great ape–
"I'm not talking about the species."
System: Humans are very emotional creatures.
"That's bullshit."
System: ...
System: That's all I know about humans.
I sighed in exasperation, "Do you only see their good side and not the bad side?"
System: Yes. Only the positive information about humans can be found in my storage.
I shook my head in dismay, "Can you define the word monster?"
System: ...
System: Monsters are ugly creatures with evil intentions. This is only a summarized answer.
I'm not satisfied of its answer, "That's it?"
System: Yes. Only the negative information about monsters can be found in my storage.
"What can you say about my people's activity earlier?"
System: They are monsters.
The system's answer is wrong.
"Those abominations are highly disciplined, cooperative and obedient. How can you say that they are monsters?"
System: Monsters are MONSTERS.
My patience is like a candle and the system's lack of information is like a flamethrower that can melt steel but being mad at it is fucking stupid so I'll try to stop this argument.
"I can only tell you this." I paused and reminisce the most unpleasant parts of my past that I don't want to mention the details.
"Humans are more monsters than these abominations."
System: Do you have any evidence to support your statement?
I smirked, "I am the evidence."
System: ???
"You can check my Archive under the main command of Journal. Everything I know from my previous life is recorded in there, right? Go on. Don't be shy."
System: ...Checking the Archive...
System: ...1%...
System: ...45%...
System: ...80%...
System: ...100%...
System: Human and Monster information have been updated.
"So, what can you say about it?"
System: ...
System: Your statement is never wrong.
Since this day, the system learned more about my knowledge from my previous life every time we argued something random.
145 Years and 4 Months Later...
If I'm a human, I would've died from stress and old age. After those years of being a teacher, I'm proud of this damn progress even if it was too slow.
Numbers of Citizens who Mastered the English Language
15% of Children
18% of Crows
13% of Passerby
11% of Titans
12% of Swifters
85% of Oracles
20% of Mists
13% of Howlers
Numbers of Citizens who Mastered Chess
10% of Children
25% of Crows
20% of Passerby
1% of Titans
5% of Swifters
95% of Oracles
8% of Mists
7% of Howlers
System: Impressive!
"Thank you. At least all of them can understand me."
System: You should learn Shadow Language.
Before I could ask the system, I felt a bunch of shadows Shadow Walked toward me. This is the first time they crossed the line and bravely come here without my permission. When they ascended from their darkness, my eyes widened in surprise as watching a group of Oracles holding the stone tablets.
Are they going to beat me with those things? Is it because I didn't meet their expectations? I don't know what they are expecting from me but I prioritized the communication.
Unexpectedly, they kneel in utmost respect and one of them said sincerely with a deep voice which I assumed that its gender is male.
"Your highness, we are not here for trouble. We are here to give knowledge about our race's language."
System: Never mind.
Another one spoke with a high pitched voice which I assumed it was a female, "We are sorry to anger you because of our lack of knowledge about your language. You even made an effort to teach us until some of us mastered it and now, it's our turn to teach you our language."
I feel ashamed now because they understand the reason why I beat their asses. That shit happened hundred years ago but it feels like yesterday.
Create Quest is now available!
Once you finished your customized quests, you'll receive random rewards. You can get some very nice rewards if you're lucky enough to get them.
That's convenient! ˹Create Quest˼!
I didn't hesitate to try it out and customize my first quest.
Enter only 1 sentence to describe your quest: I want to learn shadow language.
In the corner of my eyes, the Oracles looked at me in confusion as my fingers wiggling in the air.
System: Only players can see the game screen and keyboards.
So that explains. Wait! There are more players in this game?
The system only replied 'ERROR' then I pressed the Enter button.
New Quest has been created!
Mother Tongue
Learn your race's language is a must!
Rewards: ???
My eyes are now focusing on them and said calmly, "I should be the one to apologize."
They gasped and shook their heads as a NO. To be honest, their reaction is very rare in my previous life. I'm hoping to see more of them acted this way even I'm the one who's at fault.
"Hush now, my people. If you want me to learn our mother tongue, just leave it on the ground. I'll pick them up later." I said in the most graceful way as possible but deep inside me, the feeling of the so-called cringe exists.
"As you wish!" They said simultaneously as they bowed their heads before they left the stone tablets on the ground.
I cracked my knuckles and ready to learn that hard mode-looking language.
♦ ♦ ♦
Shadows' POV
Inside the Chamber of Punishment
Natasha Shadowwalker's Arrival
The day has come, our nameless God bestowed us a gift that he promised for so long. A leader that we've dreamed of. The one who can crush countless enemies even the Heroes won't stand a chance.
"Today is your day! Krak! Krak! Krak!" The voice of our God coming from the ray of white light said with excitement.
"Here's your gift and I'm sure it'll be GG for them! Krak! Krak! Krak! Kraaaaak!"
Then the light that contrasts our darkness slowly dissipates until it disappeared. The empty throne we prepared was now occupied by a powerful being even us countless shadows combined is not enough to defeat it. When we took a closer look, the new shadow is a female.
Her eyes were still shut but her presence and beauty already made us all kneel.
"Our God has blessed us..." We shadows said with utmost joy to our hearts and hoping she wakes up.
When her eyes opened, we immediately stuck our heads on the ground and waited for her orders but it took us a little while before she spoke a foreign language. After that, her presence suddenly disappeared but in a mere second, she's back. Then she talks with that unknown language again and we waited patiently.
Another thing happened was we felt her dissatisfaction and became mad at us. We praised her power as she sent us all flying effortlessly. Though, it's our fault that we couldn't understand her. Now, we are far away from the throne and can't see her up close because she might get mad again.
A few hours later, our instincts tell us that some small things flew up to the sky but we chose to ignore it when the queen suddenly Shadow Walked at us and we immediately gave her space. Then she put something on the ground before drawing a line by using a stick thing. When we tried to cross that line, her ominous aura made us feel petrified before punching us. So we learned that the shiny thing is not meant to be touched. After that, the other shadows said that she drew another line but longer than the first one and now we are trapped.
Two months later, those shiny things produced an image of our queen and hearing her voice is our top priority while hoping that would be her orders. Unfortunately, we couldn't understand her while she showed us a symbol.
"A." She said while pointing the drawing through her elegant index finger.
Then the Oracles walked closer to it and wondered.
"What was that?"
"She's telling us something."
"That symbol is new!"
"I think she's trying to teach us about that."
Since that day, we shadows worked hard to learn what she wants us to learn until some of us mastered it. Then some Oracles used their skill ˹Reminiscence˼ to see the past and found out the main reason why our queen is mad and we panicked.
"She learned 40 languages? But she wants more!"
"But we only know 2 languages which are Shadow Language and English!"
After a few hours of a useless panic attack, some Oracles come up with an idea and risked their lives to give her a present.
♦ ♦ ♦
Do you want to learn Shadow Language?
> Yes
> No
I tapped the YES option and all those weird symbols shined brightly that was engraved on the stone tablets until it turned back to normal when the process was finished. Their language is now familiar to me in this way.
"That was fast. This is faster than the Training Capsules. Maybe it was because of my stats."
Notification
Mother Tongue is completed!
Rewards: 10,000 XP for you and your people
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
You reached level 9.
Your Citizens reached level 5.
Your Citizens can deactivate their Disaster Mode.
I smiled and withdrew some dried leaves from my inventory before visiting them by group. Then I showered them with it and they seemed curious. After confirming that every group of shadows can't disintegrate the leaves, I made a quest regarding the naming process of my citizens.
Enter only 1 sentence to describe your quest: I want to give their names.
New Quest has been created!
Naming my People
Naming your people is a must! They must have their own identity!
Rewards: ???
The End of Chapter 7