1 Chapter 1

It was a dark place, the end of the world. Not how you'd expect: planets crashing into each other and stars exploding. It was dead silent. A darkness you could peer into and never see the end of. Somewhere strange, undone by the very threads it was weaved. Sometimes I wonder what the cause of the undoing of the universe was. An angry god? Some sort of disaster from life on another planet? Or was it us, humans, who were the cause of our own demise? But that's just a way to pass the time.

And it's not like I'd live long enough to know.

I'm not sure if I should be grateful to be able to see the end or not. Insanity sounds like a blissful escape than the madness I experience here.

Lonely? Empty? No, I feel none of those things. Perhaps I've never felt more alive than now.

But… why am I so bored?

"Host requirements have been met."

Hmm?

"System activating in 1…2…3"

The change was faint; a light tug. But it was something I hadn't felt in years; a comfort in some ways. Of course, that didn't mean it couldn't be a threat.

"Hello, I am 000, your new system," it said. Its voice was robotic. A grayed monotone. But it was quite clearly all an act.

"Brief me on your purpose," I said.

"Your authority level is too low, but seeing the host's stats I'll see what I can do."

The supposed "system" went quiet.

It's not like I'd never heard of a system before. As an avid reader of web novels in the past, I was aware of their mystic like powers, but it never sat with me very well. Being at the will of some unknown entity that forced a person to do what they're told under the constant threat of death was a position I never hoped to see myself in. But that was thinking too far ahead. Who knew if "system 000" even was one of those entities.

Still though, I'd have to thank them, whoever they are. It seems I've just found a way to relieve my boredom, however temporary it may be.

"I've gotten clearance from the higher ups. Just call for the status screen and the information you want will pop up."

"How do I call up the screen?"

"Just say status screen in your head and it should pop up."

I followed the system's instructions.

"What the fuck is this?" I asked, attempting to stay calm.

"This is the information you have been cleared to see," the system said.

"So you're telling me you're 'a system designed to help the host fly through the skies, get girls, and at the top of the world'? Look around! The world's fucking ended."

"…that does seem to be the case," the system said after hesitating for a minute, "I'll go talk to my supervisor."

Actually, the "system" didn't seem all that dangerous. At least it wouldn't react badly towards anger, instead going to look for its supervisor. The only issue was that it didn't seem particularly useful.

"System 000's purpose has been revised. System 000's purpose is now to help the host traverse through worlds and fly through the skies, get girls, and look down on others at the top of the world."

"Yeah, just hurry up and tell me what you want me to do. Counterattack, fix storylines, fight people who rebel against the system?"

"Comic relief."

"'dispose' of bad characters, help villains- wait what?"

"Those are quite interesting ideas host, I'll make sure to report them to my supervisor and get you the corresponding awards."

I pulled a hand through my hair, "Comic relief though? Why?"

"Ahem, according to the Host's Handbook, stories nowadays have become serious, therefore making readers less interested in reading them, which leads to the story's world's destruction. You're there to make the world more interesting. You bring in the readers, and we'll let you do whatever you want."

"What if I don't?"

"Well unless you're retiring you just go back here. While you're an interesting candidate because of your past, you aren't the only one."

"That's fair."

"We just need you to check the terms and conditions and we can go to your first mission."

"Terms and conditions…?"

"We're still a company."