18 Privilege

The fact that Anubis had somehow survived the attacks was perhaps a stroke of good fortune, one of the many anomalies he had encountered since his resurrection in this world. Nonetheless, it did not imply that he had acquired the strength to overpower his opponent right now; quite the reverse. While one could argue that the power surging within him was significant, it paled in comparison to Hugo's god-level abilities.

Even as he stood there, Hugo's facial mask was the antithesis of the enthusiasm he had initially displayed upon entering the scene. No matter how deeply he thought, he could not manage to surface with a logical answer to Anubis' true identity. "Who are you really, vampire?" he asked, his tone grave. "Why do you have access to the divinity's powers?"

In reality, it should have been Anubis asking the questions, not the other way around. "Why don't you make your own guesses?" he replied with a smile, deliberately teasing his opponent's confusion.

Hugo was not pleased with this response. He pursued the vampire with identical speed and generated similar outcomes. Anubis was unable to evade Hugo's attack, his side slashed by the two-handed sword and thrown far, the heat emanating from his body evaporating the water's surface on contact.

[!] System Alert: Authority Privilege Triggered!

[!] System Alert: Authority Privilege Underleveled!

The status emerged once more. The damage inflicted accounted for only Anubis's health regeneration over the past few moments, and his health bar did not diminish significantly. Hugo didn't seem to hold any killing intent in his assault; he only appeared to want to confirm something, which aligned with Anubis' own objective. Both aimed to ascertain what was indeed unfolding.

Deep within his crux, Anubis felt that he was familiar with the phenomenon, yet he dared not to assume anything. The only speculation he could make was that this had something to do with his Authority Level status, but even then, he knew it was only at level 0 with a single-digit percentage increase.

Remaining composed and analyzing the situation, there was no need to expose his ignorance and allow the enemy to have free rein. If everything proceeded smoothly, and if he could survive, Anubis could exploit this encounter to evaluate his future circumstances, although it was far from certain. He understood it was a significant indication, a clue that he couldn't ignore.

Knowing that his thirst for answers seemed unlikely to be quenched, Hugo thrust his sword into the water's surface as if it were solid ground, and to one's surprise, the blade pierced through without resistance. Extending his right hand, his target was none other than the enigmatic figure. "Command Call... Access Authority... Scan Object ID... Detect Identity!"

Object ID Generated…

Initiating Detect Identity…

[!] Identity Recognized!

"Huh? Is that all? Show me the damn results of the scan, you useless system," Hugo scoffed, frustration evident in his voice. He had expected a straightforward outcome, not this ambiguous revelation that only heightened his curiosity.

Meanwhile, Anubis remained silent and observant, not without reason.

Underleveled Privilege Breacing Detected!

Initiating Camouflage Level 1...

[!] Camouflage Level 1 Complete!

Hugo's frustration and curiosity reached their zenith, prompting him to issue the same command, maintaining the same stance. "Command Call... Access Authority... Scan Object ID... Force Detect Identity!"

Force Detect Identity Initiated...

[!] Failed! Requires Holder ID Access!

And once again, Anubis continued to observe for the very same reasons.

Underleveled Privilege Breacing Detected!

Initiating Encryption Level 1...

[!] Encryption Level 1 Complete!

Perhaps resigning himself to the situation or finding answers to his questions internally, Hugo lowered his hand with an air of acceptance. He stared at his adversary, contemplating something, with the recent notification being the most substantial clue he could obtain as a GM. "The only reason an administrator would utilize a Holder is if the situation necessitated access to the Root... and that would be you?" His tone conveyed not just curiosity, but a sense of already knowing the answer.

Boundlessness was the motto they had coined for The Last Fantasy, symbolizing how all possibilities could come to fruition within this virtual world. Now, Hugo understood that this concept extended not only to players but to himself as part of the development team.

To draw a simple comparison, the game could be likened to a room within a building. Players had the ability to enter and exit the room, utilizing its contents, while the administrator, Hugo, held the keys and the authority to arrange the furniture within. And now, he had come face-to-face with an entity that required control at a higher level... which meant—

Superuser Level. At this level, the control they possessed was absolute. It surpassed mere master keys to all rooms; it could even reshape the very structure of the building itself.

The two of them had locked eyes in silence for quite some time, with only the gentle waves of the lake breaking the tranquility. But that silence was soon shattered as Hugo erupted into maniacal laughter, the sound echoing far and wide.

"Things are becoming quite intriguing," Hugo declared, a satisfied smile on his face as he looked at Anubis. "I thought this would be a mundane routine server maintenance. Who knew it would turn out like this, huh?! I commend you, vampire!"

Unaware of what exactly had garnered Hugo's praise, Anubis watched eagerly, hoping to gain further understanding. The influx of information he had received today would require time to fully process, and unnecessary actions would only expedite the eventual outcome.

Hugo reached the grip of the sword, pulled it out then swung it gracefully to the side, causing the water's surface to ripple as if the peculiar laws of nature that had previously governed him had vanished. "How about we indulge ourselves a bit longer? No matter what, we decided to enter using administrator mode, so there are limitations to what I can do... but don't forget who I am, truly."

The enthusiasm surged back into Hugo's demeanor, and with a satisfied expression, he raised his empty hand high into the air, prepared to initiate the next phase—the one that would culminate in everything. His body appeared to radiate with a magical chain comprising the numbers 0 and 1, spinning and twirling around him. "Command Call... Access Authority... Request Ascend Control..."