The Change
"For now, I would like for them to immediately heal my host and perhaps help me regain my depleted [System's Energy]. I'll die in 32 seconds. 31...30...29..."
The two leaders nodded in understanding and raised their palm towards Argen. Their palms let out a beam that lightened up Argen's body. Knowing that systems can specially receive other beings life-force and turn it into System's Energy, they did not hesitate and used their life-force to compensate Argen's energy. However, systems cannot do the same for them due to the incompatible life-forces and neither can the two kings do that to each other. They do not have a converter for unknown life-force to make it compatible to theirs. If they receive an incompatible one, their life-span will reduce by how much that force was worth.
[System #901. Your energy has increased. You will die a second later than the host. Have a nice day]
"Can you do something to my host?" Argen asked with a glimmer of hope.
"We don't have life-saving skills nor healing pills anymore! Neither do we have any way to save him!" The two interjected. Knowing life-saving skills, specifically for healing others, weren't a necessity since these two kings usually have aids on their sides. However, their aids weren't currently with them. The pills were also depleted during their 1000 years long fight.
"YOU IMBECILES! THEN YOU SHALL PAY FOR MY WORLD'S LOSS!" The voice boomed in rage and suddenly the 4 beings, including Argen and his host, floated.
The forest rumbled and a massive crater was born. Suddenly, a pair humongous hands appeared and grabbed the four in a clasp. The hands were then enclosed by a space dome and disappeared from the place.
----
"Hurry up or we won't be able to get a fair share of these treasures as soon as the other sects find out about this spirit stone mine!" A bald female with multiple piercings on her face rowdily shouted out to her fellow 20 companions. They had discover a massive spirit mine opening inside a mountain when they were out, running away from the authorities.
"Boss, our special pouches are almost full from the last robbery! What shall we----"
"Empty the mediocre treasures and replace it with the silver and gold spirit stones! We're gonna get rich boys!" The bald female, which was the leader of these bandits, commanded her subordinates.
The bandits greedily snatched any gold and silver they could find, unaware that beneath this rich mine, was a ginormous cave decorated with lave veins.
The humongous hands appeared inside the lava cave and opened up to let go of its captives before submerging back into the earth.
The archaic voice, which the four could only hear, appeared again. However, its entrance was accompanied by a golden figure.
"You say there was no ancient pact, eh? I clearly remember those bastard's faces and when we did the pact. It was 902 891 years ago and the bastards names were 3rd King of Sublime World, Traves and 3rd Ruler of Necromancy, Drake. Am I wrong?"
After the two kings regained their sight, they were flabbergasted when those familiar names came up. They immediately explained that these two were indeed their ancestors but after when the two went to some planet to do something on the same year, they never came back.
The archaic golden figure confirmed that they were telling the truth after he activated some kind of a profound technique on them. His face was grim and he wondered why after 902 891 years, not a single entity from the top-echelons of lower and upper realms appeared in Hiarga. The two mentioned that they had never heard of this planet until their diplomat had just heard of it from SA.
'Was it master's last precaution?' The will pondered and let out a sad smile.
Even though their conversation seemed long, it wasn't that time taking and only a minute has passed and Argen and his host still has about 54 seconds left. After that, the golden figure resumed his gaze at Argen and his host.
"System #901. I'm afraid I can't save your host because of his soul's measly strength, but I do have a way to let him somewhat live…" He paused for a moment before his gaze turned serious. "…through you"
When he finished saying the last word, he lifted his palms and directed it towards the four. The two kings let out a pale glow and a ball of light appeared in front of them. Argen's and his host's souls floated above their comatose bodies.
"System! What is…!" The host's soul let out a gasp and turned to face his system's soul. Argen did not reply and his solemn gaze remained at the golden figure.
The ball of light above the two rulers combined as one and formed a chain and confined Argen and his host together. The King of Sublime World's and the Ruler of Necromancy's healthy figures were rapidly deteriorating into old age. Wrinkles appeared and their eyes were bulging out from the thinness of their body. Their skin's luster turned dry and pallid.
"Your life-force shall be the payment of your crime! You are unable to live past 100 years and if you devolve a single scrap of information in any way, your bloodline will suffer the same fate! They will be unable to breed anymore of your descendants and their minds will slowly deteriorate and turn insane! Now scram!" The golden figure berated and lifted the teleportation ban inside the cave to let the two escape.
The two malnourished kings, tucked their tails between their legs and hurriedly opened up a portal to their worlds and disappeared in a flash. Lingering inside their minds when they vanished was revenge.
Hiarga's will resumed towards the remaining two and spoke to Argen's host. "Little boy. Because of the attack from that necromancer, your soul was severely injured. Added to the facts that your soul was weak to begin with and my current power is not enough to restore you. I can heal your body but it is not the same for your soul therefore I can only let you merge through your system through the sacrificed life-force. Although life-forces can heal souls, theirs and yours is not compatible and only a powerful soul like 901's is possible. However, if you merge with him, you won't be able to live and think anymore for yourself, but your will and memories shall remain through System #901."
Argen's host pondered for a moment before he let out a determined expression. "If those bastards can receive retribution even through a small part of my hands, then I am willing! It was because of me that we are in this situation!" He said and gave a gentle gaze at Argen.
"Host…"
The host wasn't afraid of dying at all. The only fear he has was he would be going away without taking revenge at those bastards. Therefore,
"System, avenge me when this is all over!" The teenage boy replied with a smile and the archaic figure immediately proceeded to the reformation process.
The chains changed into a well-built glowing figure of a young male. The two souls were no longer to be seen since they were already merged. It was Argen's appearance that depicted the figure.
Argen's materialized body and the host's, disappeared into motes of light and merged into the glowing figure of Argen.
------
"In 3, 2….The host died…..1, System #901 died. I should get System #901's soul back for the reincarnation process" After the SA's Informant count downed and uttered the last word, beneath its body, a blue circular formation appeared.
The reincarnation process is SA's procedure every time a system dies. They send them back to Earth to reincarnate, however, not as a genius as they was once were, but an average person. Their memories from the past life is lost and their reincarnated lives are usually prone to life-problems, bad-luck, and early death.
The Rubik's cube turned illusory and at the same time, a similar formation appeared beneath Argen's reforming figure.
"The SA?! Oh no! The process will be terminated and they will both die!" The will was alarmed and intervened the process where the SA's Informant was retrieving Argen's soul. He activated another formation to counter-attack the SA's.
ERROR!
ERROR!
The whole room where the Rubik's was, flickered with alarming red light. Argen's reforming figure was also affected and it dangerously shook in separation.
"Damn! Let's just absorb that irritating soul along then!" Hiarga's will did not want to take risks and battle it out with SA's Informant. He had already scanned the soul and deemed it as beneficial instead of dangerous and degrading. Plus, he had no time left since the Argen and the host are already walking the journey to the land of the dead.
He did profound gestures and the formation he activated turned into a chain and extracted the SA's Informant's soul through its formation. "NOOOO! DON'T DO IT!" However, its pleading was futile and the will immediately pushed the soul towards Argen and his host for absorbing.
"Times up! Let's meet again System #901" The will let out a mysterious smile and suddenly, a white light encompassed the whole cave.
---
*rumble*
"What the?! An earthquake! Sh*t! Boss! What to do?!" Above the gigantic cave where Argen was, the bandits panicked when the area shook dangerously.
"Damn! It hasn't been even five minutes since we found the mine! Everyone! Immediately evacuate the vicinity!" The bald female exclaimed when the mine's entrance was slowly disappearing due to the place sinking.
The bandits obeyed without a second-thought and emerged from the mine. However, there were ones who were squashed by the falling rubbles, therefore not everyone escaped.
They ran until they had created a wide distance between the mountain and themselves. It wasn't long until the mountain was engulfed in a blinding light. They were shocked speechless when the mountain disappeared, only leaving a wide grassy plain in sight.
"What happened?! Can anyone tell me?" The bald lady scanned her eyes to her subordinates until one finally stepped up and spoke.
"Boss. Since I live in this area, in the past, I have never remembered such a mountain in this vicinity. It was originally that grassy plain I know was in that location. When we found the mine, I had my doubts. But because of the riches in sight, I buried those thoughts." A skinny barbarian explained with lowered gaze.
Their boss slowly nodded while pondering.
-------
System Association.
In SA's Informant's room.
A grim middle-aged man stared at the lifeless Rubik's cube on the platform. As soon as the alarm went off, he immediately left his post and went inside the information room to provide support.
But he was seconds too late.
"His soul was taken" He said after scanning the Rubik's cube through his Divine Scrutiny. He then switched his gaze at the screens on the walls where the system were doing their jobs. The black screen, where Argen used to be seen, captured the man's eyes and suspicion immediately followed.
------
"Boss! Someone's there!" A bandit caught sight of a lying figure where the mountain used to be located.
The group rushed towards the peculiar sight and when they got closed enough, they caught sight of something they had never seen since they were born.
"It's a peerlessly handsome male…" One of them voiced out everyone's thoughts.
It was without saying that the person they are referring to is Argen. He was wearing a set of clean and simple white robes and obviously, he unconscious.
"Boss. Your orders?" Everyone turned their gazes towards the bald female. They knew they had to do something especially towards such a beautiful creature.
The one whom was the focus of everyone's wait, was deep in thought. Finally, her lips moved in motion like a judge dictating the life and death of a person.