46 Intervention in Supreme System Server

1 minute earlier before the uproar in the forum took place. Gerard has become slightly dazed after his successful attack against the enemy.

He can clearly see that the Special Monster's HP depleted until only 1% HP remains.

While the player around him, especially Sally, and Aliyah's group put all their strength into that one final attack, Gerard's mind is quite messed up.

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be forcibly logged out.]

[Error. Body not found. Initiating Log Out Freeze.]

[Warning: Force logged out denied.]

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be erased after 100 seconds.]

[The Host consciousness is being sucked away. Self-Preservation will commence immediately.]

[Self-Preservation failed.]

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be erased after 98 seconds.]

[The Host consciousness is being sucked away. Self-Preservation will commence immediately.]

[Self-Preservation failed.]

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be erased after 95 seconds.]

[The Host consciousness is being sucked away. Self-Preservation will commence immediately.]

[Self-Preservation failed.]

Countless same warnings with countdown prompted in his System Interface. As his mind tried to understand what was going on, he felt something in his body are being pulled away giving him tremendous pain. But to his surprise, amidst severe pain, his body didn't even flinch. It doesn't make sense but he quickly navigate his System Interface and went directly to Pain Tolerance Level.

The Pain Tolerance Level is currently at 95%.

He tried to slide it down to the minimum but due to an unknown reason, the bar won't go down.

As the warnings prompted repeatedly, Gerard is on his wit's end. It is only a matter of moments before his mind collapses due to severe pain.

This pain is much more severe than the pain he felt in his last moment on Earth.

He cannot even writhe in pain because his body is still, stagnant, and standing in the same location.

The players around him didn't notice the oddities on his body.

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be erased after 90 seconds.]

[The Host consciousness is being sucked away. Self-Preservation will commence immediately.]

[Self-Preservation failed.]

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be erased after 80 seconds.]

[The Host essence is being sucked away. SUPREME SYSTEM SELF-PRESERVATION will commence immediately.]

[SUPREME SYSTEM SELF-PRESERVATION initiated. Please wait a moment.]

[10%....20%....30%]

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be erased after 75 seconds.]

[SUPREME SYSTEM SELF-PRESERVATION is still ongoing.]

[40%...50%....]

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be erased after 65 seconds.]

[SUPREME SYSTEM SELF-PRESERVATION is still ongoing.]

[60%...70%...80%...]

Gerard's mind becomes hazy and on the brink of collapsing. It seems the pain he felt is taking forever. While outside of his body, time seems to flow normally.

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be erased after 55 seconds.]

[SUPREME SYSTEM SELF-PRESERVATION is still ongoing.]

[90%...100%...]

[SUPREME SYSTEM SELF-PRESERVATION reached 100%.]

At last! He shouted.

The Self-Preservation reached 100%. He didn't know exactly what it means but he thinks it was good news. He cannot wait for the Supreme System to end the severe pain in his head.

[The Host will lose some perks once the Host proceeds. Please confirm to proceed.]

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be erased after 40 seconds.]

[Supreme System Self-Preservation is pending Host confirmation.]

"Confirm!!!" He shouted.

Every second that ticks, the pain keeps getting more severe.

[Supreme System Self-Preservation activated. It will take a moment before the pain totally subsided. But the Host will feel relief during the process.]

[Warning: Software Flaw detected. The flaw will be erased after 25 seconds.]

[SUPREME SYSTEM SELF-PRESERVATION installing.]

[SUPREME SELF-PRESERVATION is successfully installed.]

[The Host's consciousness is intact.]

After the last notification prompted, the severe pain suddenly lessen and lessen until he cannot feel it anymore. It seems like his mind becomes dull after the experience, and he didn't realize the familiar voice is calling out to him inside his head.

[Host, please respond.]

It took the Supreme System five times before Gerard realized who was calling to him.

"Yes?" He dumbly gives his response while the players around him were enthralled due to the high damage that was dealt and shocked when Sally was able to land the last hit.

[The Host consciousness almost ceases to exist.]

Gerard shuddered. He then realized that he could move his body. He tries to clench and unclench his left hand. And tries many different simple and small movements.

After confirming his body can now move according to his will, he heaved a sigh of relief.

He then start to inquire about what happened.

"Please, tell me. No sugar coating around. What the heck exactly happened?! What do you mean my consciousness almost ceases to exist?!" He frantically inquired.

But the Supreme System didn't immediately answer his question. It took 5 seconds for the Supreme System to respond.

Sigh.

Wait? Did the system just sigh?! But before he could think of anything, the Supreme System start clarifying his questions.

[Software Flaw, the Host is considered a Software Flaw or as humans called it Software Bug. The Supreme System was built to be infallible and deemed perfect. The Host may not believe it but the team behind !@#$%^&* !@#$%^&* !@#$%^&* !@#$%^&*... Under normal circumstances, once the Supreme System detected flaws known to the Supreme System based on the data that made me 'me'. The Supreme System should be able to resolve the issue immediately. For an instance, if a force logged in was made and breaches the Supreme System Protocol, the human will be forcibly logged out within a fraction of a second. When the Host logged in for the first time, The Supreme System deemed you are still alive outside the game and up until now the Supreme System still considered you as a live person. But when my Defense Protocol was initiated, the Host supposedly forcibly logged out but upon learning your actual body is nowhere to be found, the Supreme System initiated a countermeasure resulting in your consciousness to stay inside this game with repercussion, losing important perks.]

Countless pieces of information enter his ears and his brain is trying hard to process them.

But the situation around him made his brain impossible to process so while everyone is in a shocked state, he simply and carefully blended in with the players and look for a place he can be alone. But as he walks, trying to isolate himself, his vision becomes blurry. Nevertheless, he continues his walking.

While looking for a secure and comfortable location, he realized the Count's swords is still in his possession.

He becomes conflicted about whether he continues looking or return the sword first.

But before he can decide on his own, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder which made him turn around.

"You did great, brat."

He saw Mel when he turned around and saw his face with a full smile. Count Alvis follows behind him and he can see his face loosen up knowing the enemy perishes completely and won't be able to come back to life again.

"Thank y….---you?"

His tone produces a hint of the question before passing out.

After hours, inside the comfortable room.

"WAHHH!"

Gerard's rouse and sweat covered his face while clutching his chest and gasping for air.

His breathing is obviously labored as he gasped for air.

At that moment, he felt a soft and delicate hand that is obviously from a woman.

"Payne…Are you okay?"

The familiar and yet sweet voice reaches his ears which made him turn around to the source and his gaze landed on a beautiful face expressing concern.

"M-Ms. Dina?"

Hearing his answer, the woman named Dina forms a smile but the concerned look is still plastered on her face.

"Yes, I am Dina. Are you all right? It seems you are having a nightmare."

And then Gerard saw Dina take the towel from the bedside table and wipe the sweat covering his face.

"Nightmare?" He asked Dina full of confusion.

Dina in turn moves closer, her face is now just an inch away from Gerard's face. He can smell her sweet womanly fragrance and her breath is softly brushing against his face. He cannot help but gasp for air once more.

He then felt the soft skin of Dina touches his forehead.

For him, this feels like heaven but when he was about to save this feeling in the hard drive in his brain, he heard a cough.

After a couple of seconds, Dina pulls back and gives a full smile to him.

"It seems you do not have a fever. It might be due to your sudden black out which made you confused up until now. Anyway, if you feel waves of nausea, there's a bucket here." Lina points out the bucket just beside the bed.

"You can use this bucket to relieve your nausea. Anyway, it seems my strict father has something to talk to you about. I'll be leaving now."

Dina stood up and was about to turn around. "By the way, if you feel threatened by my father, quickly tell me okay? I will scold him for you."

Due to confusion, Gerard can only nod his head in agreement.

Gerard felt conflicted about Dina's actions. Don't get me wrong, Dina is approachable and talks with him with respect and in a friendly manner but not to the point like what happened now.

Yes, what happened today?

After Dina leave the room, Mel step inside and stood beside the windows.

"I do not know what you do to earn my daughter's interest but leave my daughter alone."

Mel snorted.

"O-Okay?"

He dumbly agreed and tilt his head.

Seeing his action made Mel sigh and turn around to face the window.

Gerard can see outside the window that the sun is about to settle. "

How long I was asleep?" He softly muttered which didn't escape Mel's sharp hearing.

"You were asleep for more than 4 hours."

"Why I was sleeping…" But before he could finish his question, his mind suddenly operates and flash him what had happened earlier.

The explosion in Town Hall.

The Battle between Town Chief Rook and Count Alvis.

Town Hall's destruction.

The Monster has reincarnation ability.

The Sword that was borrowed from Count Alvis

Sally. Sky Heaven. Lina. Aliyah. The time he attacks the monster.

He closes his eyes as he tries to remember everything. When the flashback brings him to the point of the severe pain he felt due to the Software Flaw as prompted on his System Interface, he instinctively closed his eyes and massage both temples. It seems like he can still feel the severe pain from earlier.

Mel is just watching him from the side and letting him get comfortable again.

After a couple of minutes, Gerard asked Mel what happened back then.

"After the enemy died, you passed out before Count Alvis can thank you for your service."

Gerard nodded his head and continue to ask questions. "How about the heroes?"

Mel brow's arch. "If you are referring to those heroes you help, they were safe and recuperating. But knowing them, if they rest for a while, their strength will be back before everyone knows it."

Gerard nodded his head again.

"I see, you still seem confused. I will be back later to ask you a few questions. I will inform Count Alvis as well that you are up."

Hearing him say that made him turn and his gaze follow Mel leaving the room.

"The Count is staying in this Inn and he told me you deserve a reward for valiantly defending the Town."

Mel then closes the door.

Gerard turns his gaze through the window and saw the horizon. The cloud was dispersed in a clear sky, and the setting sun produces a tinge of orange in the sky giving a blazing feeling of a fire that slowly extinguished as the night sky approached.

He never felt so alive seeing the setting sun.

The thought of his consciousness being sucked away rendering him useless which seems telling him to accept his fate made him shudder once again.

He closes his eyes and silently inquires about the Supreme System in his mind.

"System, are you there?"

[Confirming.]

"We will have a thorough discussion.

[I understand.]

"What do you mean your SUPREME SYSTEM SELF-PRESERVATION?"

It took five seconds for the Supreme System to give her a response.

[Intervention in the Supreme System Server.]

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