Reincarnated as an Energy with a System

Chapter 2009: Start on Examination

It was clear after some discussion that Crownus had absolutely no idea what sort of System it was that he wanted to make. Though, that was mostly because he didn’t understand how Systems functioned in the first place. If he knew, he would’ve thought of something by now.

Ning remained silent for a little longer, going over everything Crownus had shown him before finally reaching a decision.

"I think we should let you understand what sort of thing a System truly is," Ning said.

Crownus appeared a little surprised. "You’re willing?" he asked.

"Of course," Ning said. "Though, to be certain, I will put forward my requirements and restrictions. Don’t worry, there aren’t many."

Ning had never been completely against teaching Crownus how to make a System. His concern had always been what Crownus would do once he possessed that knowledge. After seeing the three experiments directly, Ning understood his intentions better than before.

Crownus had made mistakes, some of them serious, but he had not been trying to hurt people for the sake of experimentation. Each attempt had been his way of understanding one part of a problem he could not properly see.

That did not mean Ning was willing to simply give him everything without restrictions.

"If I’m going to teach you how Systems work, then you need to agree to one thing first," Ning said. "Once you understand them, you are never allowed to create a System that damages a human Soul in any way."

Crownus seemed unsurprised by the requirement.

"I am aware that this is your concern."

"Good. Then I don’t need to explain why I’m asking."

Ning looked directly at him as he continued. "No consuming pieces of Souls for Energy. No weakening them to keep the System functioning. No permanent changes that prevent them from reaching the afterlife, and no tricks where the System technically follows the rules while the Soul ends up ruined anyway."

Crownus listened without interrupting.

Ning had deliberately made the requirement broad. If he gave Crownus a narrow list of forbidden actions, someone capable of experimenting for thousands of years might eventually find a method that accomplished the same thing without violating the exact wording.

He was not interested in that.

"The Soul cannot be harmed," Ning said. "That’s the important part. That includes if you pass along that knowledge to some other Will and they decide to make a System that harms a Soul. Their crime will be on you."

"I understand."

"And you’re willing to promise that?"

"Yes."

Ning studied him for a moment. "Then let’s make it official."

<The Galactic Will ’Crownus’ has accepted your deal.>

<Would you like to use [The Celestial Handshake] for 19.2 Octillion Energy?>

Ning hid his frown from the Will, but it was hard not to feel it when he was about to lose so much Energy at once. Though, it was very much worth it, so he accepted.

The moment he accepted, the agreement settled into place.

Then came the cost.

Ning felt an enormous amount of the Energy he had accumulated disappear into the Handshake.

Almost half of everything he had gathered until now had vanished simply to establish the agreement between them.

Ning sighed.

Celestial agreements were useful precisely because they could bind beings who would otherwise be almost impossible to control, but usefulness at this level rarely came cheaply.

Crownus looked at him. "Is there a problem?"

"No. I was just appreciating how much that promise cost me."

Crownus hardly understood what he had just agreed to. Unlike Ning, he hadn’t yet known that their exchange of words had been more than just that.

That did not make Ning feel particularly better about losing nearly half his reserves, but there was little reason to complain after the agreement had already been made.

At least the restriction was worth having.

If Crownus truly learned how to create Systems, Ning would no longer need to worry that the knowledge would eventually produce something that survived by tearing apart the Souls of its users.

Crownus looked toward him.

"What sort of System should we create?"

Ning gestured vaguely toward the space around them. "You’ve figured out ways to capture Souls, give people abilities, provide information, and even turn a Soul into something that acts like a System. That’s useful, but you were working backward from what little you could observe about me."

Crownus did not deny it.

That was the fundamental problem with all three of his experiments. He had seen the effects and tried to reproduce them without understanding the actual structure responsible for those effects.

The results had been impressive in their own way, but none of them were quite the thing he had been trying to create.

"If you want to make a real System," Ning said, "you first need to understand how one actually works."

"How do you intend to teach me?"

"You study me."

Crownus looked at him more carefully.

Ning continued, "You’ve been trying to figure me out from a distance for thousands of years. Now you don’t need to. I’ll let you examine me directly."

That was probably the simplest way to teach him.

Ning could ask the System to explain individual functions and concepts for as long as necessary, but Crownus needed more than descriptions. He needed to see how the various parts fit together and how Energy moved through the structure.

For that, Ning himself was the best example available. Most Wills learned about Systems from studying hosts of the Energy System anyway, so it would work quite well. He had no doubts about that.

Crownus gave a small nod. "That will be sufficient."

"Probably," Ning said. "Let’s start, then. Though, we need a change of scenery."

Ning looked around the darkness, trying to find anything he could.

"You know this place better than anyone. Take me somewhere with a lot of radiation."

Crownus remained quiet for a moment.

"Radiation?"

"Yes."

Crownus did not ask why. Space shifted around them once more as he searched for a suitable location.