The Strongest Lord Is A Hack
Jay, an orphan teenager, along with the rest of humanity, had their understanding of reality shattered when Earth was consumed by a cosmic entity known as the Astral Arena. This entity abducts different civilizations from various corners of the universe and compels them to partake in its game for their survival. Now, the cosmic entity compelled the Earthlings it had abducted to participate in its game, categorizing them into two groups: those eligible to become Astral Lords and those entering as memoryless wandering souls. Those who ascended as Astral Lords were endowed with unique skills and an Astral domain. Conversely, those who failed had their memories erased, and their souls wandered the Astral Arena, awaiting to be accepted by Astral Lords as their subjects to be trained into troops or workers. Dragged into a cosmic game beyond his comprehension, Jay faced an uncertain future as the cosmic entity compelled him to engage in its endless cycle of struggle and warfare for resources and power to ensure his survival in the Astral Arena. Against all odds, Jay strove to become an Astral Lord, acquiring the unique skill 'Astral Hack,' unique title 'The First Murderer,' and his Astral domain. As he further navigated the treacherous game of the Astral Arena, Jay encountered numerous challenging quests imposed on him by the entity. As such he grappled with uncertainty: would he meet a grim fate attempting to fulfill these quests, or would he overcome them? If he did, when will this gruesome cycle ever end or was there no end to it? Join Jay's struggle for survival in the cosmic game, Astral Arena, as he contends with the finest and brightest in the universe fighting for their existence. ... [Title Name: The First Murderer Title Grade: Innate (Passive) Title Effect: As the first player to murder Earthlings in Astral Arena: i) Murder is like second nature to you. It is rare for something to move your heart and shake your emotions. ii) You have mastered every means of murder and torture the Earthlings have ever developed to the maximum. Note: i) Innate titles/skills are unique to the player. ii) The means mentioned here include combat arts, tools, firearms, and armaments.] [Skill Name: Astral Hack Skill Grade: Innate (Active) Skill Level: Max Skill Effect: i) The Lord can hack all units to retain the maximum crit rate to gain the unit's information, critical strike, max drop rate, etc. ii) A purple alignment marker will help the Lord use the 'Astral Hack' skill on hackable units. iii) The targeted unit will never detect being hacked, even if the 'Astral Hack' fails. Note: i) Astral Hack efficiency is limited to Lord's level. Units with higher levels/grades than lord/lord's domain have a higher chance of resisting Astral Hack. ii) Active skills have skill proficiency level. In the case of innate skills skill proficiency level is max.]
Offering Body And Soul
Just as I was done going through Sova's stats she had arrived before me. Taking a closer look at her, I felt Sova would have qualified to be a model back on Earth or she might have been one in her younger days.
Not minding my ogling, Sova knelt before me in reverence. From where I stood I had a full view of Sova's ample twins in her blouse. Normally such an encounter would form a tent in my pants but thanks to my 'The First Murderer' title it was rare for such encounters to move my heart and shake my emotions.
Soon Sova greeted me with respect and deference, "Your Excellency, I, Sova Morekova, offer my body and soul to you." However, listening to the ambiguous context I could not help but lift my brow pondering if Sova was purposefully being ambiguous, especially with her provocative kneeling that highlighted her ample chest.
"What is that supposed to mean? Don't be afraid, be clear with your words," I coldly asked Sova to be direct with her intentions since I did not like to beat around the bush.
Sova did not dare to lift her head but with a slight tremble in her voice she replied, "Lord, I am willing to serve you wholeheartedly in developing the domain and warming your bed."
"Good to know. When I have a bed you can warm it but first, tell me how much you know about your current situation?" I asked Sova trying to gauge the mindset of wandering souls materialized as subjects.
Seeing how Sova did not start crying and screaming after being materialized and instead calmly greeted me with a formal title and gesture while going as far as to offer her body to me I guessed that she must have a good grasp of the Astral Arena and her circumstances which was in line with her asking to be my subject when in her wandering soul form. Still, I had to learn what she knew.
"My lord, I only know what the system notification told me. That I am no longer on earth but inside Astral Arena. If I wanted to escape my fate of wandering the boundless Astral Arena as a memoryless soul hunted by astral beasts I had to find a Lord willing to take me as their subject and serve them wholeheartedly. That is all my lord," Sova informed me what she had learned from the system notification.
"What are Astral beasts?" I asked Sova as the last time I heard this term was in presence of the Angel Astrid but she did not give me any information and ran away.
"My lord, Astral beasts are behemoth creatures resembling leviathans. They can easily travel through the space of the Astral Arena like fish in water and like to feed on wandering souls and Astral domains. There are a lot of Astral beasts floating around beyond the astral mist dome covering your arena," Sova answered recalling her memories as a wandering soul. It was the scariest time of her life. It was because she knew how scary the alternative was, she was so proactive and accepting about being a subject.
"What is beyond the astral mist dome covering the dome?" I asked curiously since everyone that I saw came in contact with it died, turning into ashes.
"Nothing, my Lord. Just boundless space. From the outside, your domain is like a tiny island floating in boundless space," Sova replied based on her observation when she entered the Astral Ark domain in her wandering soul form.
"Wait, on the other side of the astral mist there is no land to be explored?" I asked Sova in disbelief and shock recalling that the Angel Astrid had provoked me to explore the beyond the astral mist. If I had not received the 0-grade random dungeon card as a reward, left with no choice I might have trusted that damned Angel and killed myself trying to find resources beyond astral mist.
"Yes, my Lord. There is only empty space beyond the Astral mist. If you don't mind I would like to state something based on my observation," Sova still had not figured out her lord so she chose to be careful with her words around him even though she had given her undying loyalty to him.
"Go ahead, speak what's on your mind," I permitted Sova. I was willing to listen to her because first, she was fully loyal to me, and second, compared to me she knew more about the Astral Arena from her experience of wandering it.
"My Lord, to me, from outside, the Astral domain appeared more as your prison than your domain. It was as if you, lords, are the warden and we, subjects, are the prisoners, or something along that line," Sova painted a grim picture of Astral Arena and its plans for Astral lords, their domains, and their subjects.
I could not help but agree with Sova because I too felt that way being stranded in my domain with no proper resources. The reward cards felt like more of an incentive for being a model warden or prisoner of the Astral Arena and playing its game in the way it intended us to. Still, I could not complain as it was what it was. I can only resolve to my fate and do my best to survive this sick game.
"Now that we are on the same page about Astral Arena, let us talk about your past life and what you can do for the domain because I do not plan to raise freeloaders, even if you are willing to warm my bed," I informed Sova sternly. She was beautiful but in the face of certain death, her beauty paled in comparison.
"Don't worry my lord, I would not prefer it any other way," Sova declared. Then, grabbing a handful of mud from the ground, analyzing it, she said, "My lord the mud in your domain is of decent quality to make clay, if you allow me I would like to make preparations to get started on creating clay bricks and utensils for the domain."