242 Chapter 238: Samsara Cycle
Well... How to say this... I'm in trouble.
I'm immune to spirit and mind control skills, but there are some kinds of skills that I couldn't prepare for since I honestly didn't even imagine they existed.
Right now my mind and soul are undergoing a constant cycle of birth, life, death, and reincarnation.
It is not true death and reincarnation, but a projection of the infinite possibilities that encompass my existence.
The first reality would be something like this: "What would happen if Luis did not know the supernatural world".
In that reality, I did not obtain a system and I maintained a normal life where my father failed to sell me to other Higher Entities which caused his death.
I never knew about the existence of the multiverse and became Raku's assistant after the Ichijo family helped me improve my health.
That boy inherited the Ichijo family and married Chitoge after some stupid drama, both of them didn't grow the yakuza but kept it stable while I handled the shady business on the human side so they could live as a happy and innocent marriage.
In that reality, I did not have a harem and my only wife was Ichika since I fell in love with her over time, although there was a bloodbath since I had to kill all the jealous women who did not accept that I fell in love with an only woman.
Umaru and my mother died at the hands of my enemies which led me to exterminate every gang in Japan making my name famous as the most dangerous man in Japan.
I had a son and two daughters who I didn't care about, but I still took care of them since I didn't want to be like my father.
I lived to be 45 years old and finally died in an ambush when negotiations with the Chinese mafia went awry.
The next reality was: "Kuro the hero"
I was summoned to another world as a Hero instead of getting a system.
Even though my mission was to assassinate the Demon King, I got involved in political trash and racial strife.
There were women who were interested in me, but I ignored them and didn't form a harem since at that time my mindset was stuck in silent killer mode, Kuro.
I destroyed every obstacle, including my comrades who wanted coexistence between humans and other races.
After five years of war, I enslaved the elves, beastkin, dwarves, and other non-human races while the demons were totally exterminated.
The humans now feared me for my extreme methods so I murdered the nobility when they tried to set me up.
The gods of that world were worried that I would become the new Demon King, but they couldn't eliminate me since the church and many humans were my allies.
Finally, the gods offered me to return to Gaia so I returned home, but as a different person.
I lost all trace of emotions and became totally rational so I became the official killer of the Ichijo family.
I was not Raku's assistant since my only job was to eliminate any danger that threatened Japan, nor did I have a wife or children since emotional ties would be a weakness.
Over time I made plans to take control of the yakuza as I determined that Raku and his father lacked the necessary traits to lead the yakuza.
I died at the age of 32 when my attempted rebellion failed.
As well to these two stories, I witnessed many other realities and alternate futures.
A reality where Beast VII's plan was fulfilled and I helped her invade Gaia, then was killed when I was no longer useful.
In another reality where I joined the demons and killed Seraph, later Auriel was my executioner.
There was even a reality where Navi was in the form of a woman… I don't want to talk about it or I'll vomit.
These futures were not completely accurate and they were not real timelines either since the interference of Higher Entities alters the path of Destiny causing unpredictable variables to exist.
The true purpose of the skill used by the monk is to make a person experience infinite realities until the person's soul feels that he has fulfilled his purpose in life by giving him peace and thus attaining enlightenment.
This skill also has an effect on Higher Entities and if I'm not mistaken, it was specially designed to deal with Outer Gods with powerful willpower like BB.
Although it sounds impressive since enlightenment is the door to becoming a Buddha, there is a catch.
This enlightenment is not to transcend but to detach from all possession, desire, dream, and longing to achieve absolute inner peace.
Basically, the monk wants me to lose my supposed allegiance to Auriel, and therefore I will no longer have a reason to protect the Outer Gods.
If I were a 'mortal', when my mind is free of all desire, I will enter the path of Gautama Buddha, but not the version known to humans, but a higher version where everything becomes irrelevant and my consciousness dissipates into the multiverse becoming one with the concept 'Inner Peace'.
This is the height of spiritual shit and it makes me feel sick, I feel like I'm entering a cheap self-help book.
Now that I am a Higher Entity, this skill will lock me in an infinite cycle of boredom which will make me go into hibernation, making my body become an empty shell without individuality and personality.
The monk does not want to control my mind, he seeks to erase my desires to turn me into an idiot who answers any question with a smile since inner peace will make me indifferent to the idea of keeping a secret...
I admire this level of hypocrisy.
The real problem is that my mind and soul are trapped within the cycle of the Samsara Cycle and I cannot break free as the voice currently speaking is just a piece of information that replicates my personality.
It can be said that I am currently a backup USB in case Luis's mind is destroyed.
Since I'm just a database, I can only have a spectator role while my soul and mind are being lobotomized with Buddhist prayers... How troublesome.
By the way, if someone asks you, no, I'm not a clone, I'm an extension of information, so I'm more like a neuron that is part of Luis's mind.
It is difficult to explain the mind of a lunatic so to summarize I am Luis but without a body or additional voices inside my head.
When I integrate with Luis again, my mood will be bad since I start to miss those voices...
I prepared various countermeasures in case my soul and mind were controlled, one of those countermeasures was to isolate my Core of Existence so that no one can catch the women who live in my mind and personal worlds.
This brings the problem that the System Goddess will not be able to activate the barriers to suppress the monk in addition to that I do not know what is happening around me since I am trapped inside my own mind.
Another problem is that even though my 'Obsession' stat protects me from boredom, my energy is sapped from constant death and resurrection.
For a Higher Entity, death is like having a cold.
It can be cured with medicine or wait for the body to get better, but it always causes a state of weakness.
Every time a life cycle ends, my soul simulates a state of reincarnation so my energy is depleted and if this continues, my [Anti-Rasen] energy will not be able to continue to hide my [Reader's Madness] nor my system which will prove that I am an entity that must be eradicated.
That's why I'm in big trouble.
That said, I still have an emergency plan. Paranoia is the mother of survival.
The people that interest me from the Arifureta world and the heroines linked to the plot are in hibernation inside my Rasen Dimension and they did not even notice when they were kidnapped, later I will have to talk to them to make them believe that I saved them from the imminent end of the world or something like that.
It'll be a shame to waste an unexplored world, but at least I got all the Basic Concept Magic so there's not much to say.
When people hit rock bottom they usually look for a way out of the well, but if the bottom of the well seems impossible to climb, just dig deeper for another way out, even if that way out is the most depressing despair.
…. A lot of internal monologues, the reviews will go down again... Well, it doesn't matter, that's the problem of the idiot who develops my story.
On the other hand, it had been a long time since I could be alone with my own thoughts without having loud voices in my head.
I'm starting to miss those girls...
Stupid feelings of attachment.
Whatever.
[System Notification: Message function has been opened]
[Message to: Azath■■■
Hello, nice to meet you, I introduce myself, I am a new nameless Outer God.
I have wanted to meet you for a long time, but I have had multiple difficulties so I could not contact you before, I am very sorry since I really want to meet you because even though we have never seen each other, I have the feeling that you are special to me.
To tell the truth, my situation is not good and this is probably the first and last time I can talk to you because my existence is about to end.
In case we get to know each other, it would be nice to talk to you to get to know each other better.
I hear you like to paint, I'm not particularly knowledgeable about art, but it would have been nice to see you paint.
Anyway, I wish you the best, I'm sorry I didn't write to you earlier]
Well, too corny for my liking, but BB told me about that girl's personality to increase my chances of talking to her without my body being destroyed.
I pray to the god I don't believe in that this isn't a complete disaster...
[System Notification: Message has been sent]
[System Notification: The entity 'Azath■■■' has sent a message]
I don't want to open it...
Well, anyway, I have already repeated the Samsara Cycle more than twelve million times so the idea of dying has become so irrelevant that it is boring.
[Mensaje de Azath■■■: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!]
Incredible, I can feel an infinite amount of despair and anguish in that written scream…
[System Notification: A Higher Entity has detected the user's coordinates]
[System Notification: The approach of a Higher Entity has been detected. The entity is not hostile, but it is recommended to flee immediately]
[System Notification: The 'Reader's Madness' energy has negated some of the degeneration and corruption effects of the 'Distortion Madness' energy.]
[Warning: The degenerative effects of the 'Distortion Madness' energy are damaging the user's body]
[System Notification: The 'Golden Samsara Mantra' has stopped affecting the user]
[System Notification: The 'Reader's Madness' energy has returned to normal. Regained access to the skills 'Reader's Perspective', 'Sadism', 'Schizophrenia', 'Paranoia', 'Dissociative Identity', and 'Character Sheet']
It seems that the monk is too busy to pay attention to me so it's time to get out of this stupid simulation of unimaginative realities.
Seriously, the Navi woman scene will be a permanent trauma…
[System Notification: The skill 'Stand: Liberate Me From Hell' has been activated]
...
....
.....
...
...…
...….
...…..
[System Notification: The 'Rasen no Chikara' energy has broken through millions of high-level barriers. The user's consciousness has restored their freedom]
[System Notification: Rasen no Chikara (70%) > (89%)
It has not been possible to gain complete control of the Rasen no Chikara energy. The requirements to fully master this energy are unknown]
[System Notification: The title 'Free Man (100%)' has been obtained]
[Free Man: Fuck moralists, I'll say what I want
The only limit is the will, and if nothing can suffocate the spirit, the chains are just decorations.
Grants resistance against mind, spirit, body, or Destiny control skills. Resistance to the restrictive effects of Contracts and Oaths will be gained. Resistance depends on the Willpower (Obsession) stat.
Freedom-focused skills and energies will gain a power bonus when fighting against any kind of control and restriction]
What a fucking headache...
"Luis!"
"Senpai what the hell did you do?! Why did our connection get cut?! Do you want to get rid of me?! ANSWER ME!"
"Shut up for a moment" - I growled with annoyance, this is the second-worst migraine I've ever had.
With [Paranoia] I confirmed that no one was watching me so I checked my surroundings.
Let's see, I'm lying on what looks like a ceremonial offering altar.
I am naked and my body is covered with peach petals while all around me are incense, copper bells, wooden beads, and jade statues in the shapes of Buddhist monks.
"SENPAI!" – BB's scream was full of fury as her energy began to turn violent, she is on the verge of a dementia attack.
Since [Anti-Rasen] weakened, the restrictions controlling BB's Madness weakened so I sighed before she caused any trouble.
"The monk used a skill that I still don't understand so I sealed my Nucleus of Existence for you guys to stay safe since the monk's skills were designed to destroy Outer Gods and even though I also have the Madness energy, my Hero title and the Auriel's blessing protected me from that ability." – I massaged my forehead, my head is killing me.
"…" – BB calmed down but pouted angrily. – "Senpai should have warned me earlier, I thought that Senpai no longer wanted to listen to me and she would leave me isolated until she forgot about me, Senpai abandoned me for a week…"
So I was stuck in the Samsara Cycle for a week… Well, I thought it would be worse.
"Luis..." - Tsubaki ignored BB and spoke to me with concern. - "Are you OK? I feel like you're too tired…"
I sighed internally. – "I am, I need a vacation…"
Although my energy is rapidly replenishing, I feel as weak as the time I was shot on a mission to eliminate an illegal trafficker and almost bled to death… nostalgic.
"This is…" – System Goddess had been scanning the surroundings. – "Nine Ascending Tribulations Ritual of the Great Jade Buddha…"
…. What thing?
"Giving a long name to things doesn't make them more interesting, it's just stupid" - I rolled my eyes.
"Ahem" - System Goddess scratched her cheek awkwardly. – "This ritual is to cleanse the soul of a person by eliminating all desires, sins, curses, and anything else that can contaminate the soul, when the soul is totally free of impurities, the ascension process will begin to make the soul person experiences the Dao to ascend the Buddha path…"
"Normally this ritual is only used on the most faithful followers who make great contributions to the Golden Buddha Sect since it is the direct path to becoming a powerful Buddhist cultivator so I don't understand why you are at the altar... Oh..." - System Goddess smiled wryly. – "Well, the way of the Buddha does not really suit you, perhaps the Dao of the Demonic Buddha of Greed and Depravity would be more suitable for you…"
…
"God is Buddha?" – Rachel and many other people in my head were confused.
"Buddha burger?" – Ortro spoke with a sleepy voice, she was barely able to wake up.
"What's happening? You're still alive? Oh congratulations" – Nyarlathotep was lying on a couch watching anime on my cell phone…
The cause of this disaster was watching anime while I died millions of times...
Abby breathed a sigh of relief as I reestablished the mental connection with them. – "I thought the monk had purified you, if you had taken another two days then he would have used my spatial skills to look for you…"
Yog-Sothoth is nicer than Nyarlathotep…
"Huh?" – BB stopped making angry faces and finally noticed the problem. - "Where we are?"
That's what I want to know, but I don't dare do anything rash since I have a guess as to where we are, and it's not a good thing...
"Immortal Eternal Heaven…" - Abby sighed. – "More specifically, the Ascension Temple in the Golden Buddha Sect…"
"Why do cultivators give such dramatic names to everything?" - I sighed with annoyance.
My guess was correct, I'm not at Arifureta but at the base of the Higher Entities based on cultivation...
I feel like I'm forgetting something.
"..." - Abby blushed intensely and covered her face leaving a space between her fingers to continue looking.
"Senpai is showing off his manhood to humiliate the little cultivators... Well done senpai~"
"Oh, it's the first time I've seen one without censorship mosaics" – Nyarlathotep was curious.
…
I took out clothes from my Rasen Dimension and got dressed.
I looked around the temple and confirming that there were no people nearby I made sure to take all the valuables.
"1,000,000-year-old Ice Jade… Nirvana Primal Lotus… Transcendental Jade Incense…" – System Goddess was drooling over the items entering the Rasen Dimension. – "I can use reverse refining on these items to extract the materials… Oh, precious alchemy resources…"
"Is it okay to steal from Buddhists who only seek to protect the order of the worlds?" – Tsubaki asked with conflicting feelings.
"They wanted to kill us" – BB shrugged. – "We deserve compensation, that's how karma works~ Nee, senpai, don't forget this gold plate"
"Golden Jade of Reincarnation…" – Goddess of the System looked like a hungry tiger looking at a family of rabbits.
Why is everything jade?
I sighed and put the gold tablet away.
"Why do you act so calm?" – Tsubaki asked me curiously. – "This world is the base of one of the strongest groups in the multiverse, I thought you would be paranoid to look for an escape route"
I smiled wryly. – "BB, Abby, I will give you the coordinates of Gaia, can you send me back?"
"No problem" - Abby nodded. – "I already found out how the monk detected my spatial movement ability so an accident will not happen again"
"Don't worry senpai, my spatial skills may be inferior to that of the perverted loli, but I can leave traces of false coordinates for cultivators to get lost in desolate corners of the abyss~" - BB looked up smugly.
"Tsubaki, use Resonance so that BB and Abby can access the Rasen so that they don't have obstacles with the barriers, first prepare the escape route, then we will go through this place" - I arranged my clothes so that they were equal to those of a cultivator Buddhist.
During the time that I was trapped in the Samsara Cycle, I had time to analyze the Buddhist energy in depth.
Since this situation is extremely dangerous, [Nakama Power] and my plot armors evolved [Mythomania] so now I can trick the perception of entities at the level of Auriel, the shit monk, or Beast VII.
I used [Mythomania] to replicate Buddhist energy perfectly, now I just need to devour an unimportant cultivator to impersonate him.
"Luis..." - Tsubaki sounded worried. – "Are you in a bad mood?"
"Bad mood?" – I smiled bitterly. – "I am completely furious and if it were not because this place is dangerous, I would love to lose control to kill every bastard in this world, even innocent people…"
I experienced a miserable life more than twenty million times…
I saw my harem with other men…
I saw my harem die...
I myself killed my wives…
Fine, I admit it, I'm a soft-hearted jerk when it comes to my women.
In every life where I didn't fall in love, I had a totally miserable life that led to a lonely and depressing death.
On the other hand, even though in the lives where I had a family I experienced some happiness, my shitty destiny was always to lose everything I love right in front of my eyes...
I can understand someone using me as a tool like Mr. Ichijo did, and yet I don't hold a grudge...
I can accept a disappointment like the one caused by Tsugumi and still forgive her and love her…
I can understand a betrayal like the one Revy did to me and maybe later I will accept her in my harem...
I can even tolerate all the shit that my father caused me and collaborate with him if that jerk offers me a deal with great benefits...
I can accept and give in to almost anything since the benefits are more important to me than dignity, pride, and my own sanity...
But everything has a limit…
I cut off Saeko's head.
I destroyed Tsubaki's soul.
I crushed Shigure's head.
I crucified Tsugumi and Revy.
I burned down the building where some of my wives and family currently live while they were inside.
Even if it was all just the projection of a fictional reality, I know that reality is made up of works of fiction so, for me, it was all real.
In addition to that, I felt very anxious about the time I spent away from my women and even felt bad for my daughters.
The hatred I feel for the monk who sent me to the Samsara Cycle is a hatred that not even my father could provoke in me...
I'm trying hard to maintain self-control and not do something stupid out of impulsiveness, but even with my rationality, I'm only willing to return to Gaia after making sure the monk loses a place to call home.
The fact that the ritual was also designed to remove Auriel's blessing proves that the monk didn't contact Auriel so even if I do genocide, no one will be able to say I'm the culprit since the only evidence linking me to the Outer Gods is the testimony of the monk, and no one will care about the ramblings of a depressed asshole who lost everything he cares about...
I went to the exit of the temple.
"Oh, senpai♥~ Right now you're so wonderful that I can't wait to rebuild my body~"
"I like you, I want to hit that damn bald monk! This time I won't fall for the lies that they have a special edition of Ri■■ Gremo■■ and will give it to me if I give up!"
"I will help you when you ask"
"Kill friend's enemies"
The Outer Gods agree with me, now the opinion of the other residents of my head is missing.
"Well, I've already resigned myself to death so it doesn't matter... I just ask you not to make my daughters die in a horrible way"
"I will follow the Master"
"Luis... It's okay, I'll accompany you even if it's to hell"
"…The stupidity of this decision transcends the heavens…. But it's not like I can refuse this…"
"I do what God wants"
The goddesses are in my personal world so they won't be joining the vote for now.
"Hey Listen! Kidnap the jade-skinned beauties and have an orgy in front of the stupid cultivators who waste their pathetic lives cultivating behind closed doors while their women are fornicated by a dog in heat!"
"Navi" - I sighed. – "I will not do the shit of the orgy… But I will listen to you as long as you have some idea to annoy everyone in this world, I will also listen to BB's suggestions"
"Yay! Senpai is the best~!"
"Hey Listen! Get the vaseline ready stupid cultivators! The anus destroyer 3000 has arrived muahahahahaha!"
"…Oh, this is serious" – System Goddess sighed. – "Luis, what did the monk do to you so that you are willing to accept the ideas of these two depraved creatures?"
"I'm not going to talk about that" - I replied apathetically.
"Hey Listen! I bet you dreamed of me bugging you hahaha!"
….
No comment.
"Mm? Why does this energy look familiar to me?" – Nyarlathotep felt something strange in the environment.
I smiled. – "I called an acquaintance"
"… Oh for Arceus…" – Nyarlathotep paled. – "Did you call Azathoth?!"
BB smiled wryly. – "The award for the craziest psychopathic bastard goes to… Senpai! *Applause more real than seen on cheap TV*"
"If that entity is here then I understand why you are willing to attack this place" – System Goddess understood my idea. – "The Buddhist cultivators will be too busy dealing with that entity and the other factions of cultivators will not help as they will wait until Azathoth and the Buddhists are weak to reap the benefits"
"Shall we let the cultivators kill Azathoth?!" – Nyarlathotep asked expectantly.
Poor Azathoth, everyone hates her.
"We'll see" - I answered ambiguously and took advantage of BB and Abby's spatial skills to leave the temple without activating the defensive barriers.
Even if Azathoth is an uncontrollable psychopath, as long as she helps me deal with the fucking monk then I'll give her a special place in my harem.
I really hate that fucking monk...
