The System's expression shifted to something that looked almost pleased, both halves finally unified in their approval of Ren's decision.
"Now that you're really going to walk the path of horror for real," the System said, its voice carrying a note of warning,
"There's another catch that I have to tell you about."
"What?" Ren asked, though he had learned to be suspicious whenever the System mentioned additional complications.
"It's faster if I show this to you," the System replied with what might have been a mischievous smile.
Without any further warning, the System drove its hand directly into its own stomach and pulled out a writhing mass of intestines. The organs gleamed wetly in the cosmic light, blood dripping from the torn flesh as the System held them up for Ren to see.
"Brrgh!" Ren immediately doubled over and vomited, his body responding with violent rejection to the sudden gore. The sight of the exposed internal organs, the smell of blood and bile, the casual way the System had mutilated itself, all of it hit him like a physical blow.
"What the fuck!" he gasped between heaves.
"This feeling... this is familiar. Oh hell no."
The System smiled at Ren's distress, both halves seeming to enjoy his discomfort.
"That's right. Your fear of blood and gore has returned," the System announced cheerfully.
Mental Resistance EX Rank (Suspended) Passive
Skill Description: You will not be shaken by madness. You can look at gods directly. Will only trigger when host's mental state is in true danger.
"That's right, Ren," the System continued, casually stuffing its intestines back into its stomach as if nothing had happened.
"From now on, the Mental Resistance skill will only trigger when you are truly in danger or facing a great threat of madness. Something trivial like fear of blood isn't even worth talking about."
"Now your Mental Resistance skill is truly fixed for real. No more blanket emotional suppression, just protection when you actually need it."
Ren wiped his mouth and glared at the System.
"Why didn't you tell me about this before?"
"Well," the System said with obvious amusement,
"I already knew that you would pick the horror path from the beginning."
"What?" Ren stared at the entity in disbelief.
"Think about it. How long have we been together? It's been like three months now. I know you, Ren. I know you're going to turn me into a real monster, you lunatic. So this is my petty revenge for that inevitability."
"Haa, I can't argue back because I kind of deserve it," Ren admitted with a wry smile. He thought back to Levi's comment about systems having personalities.
"System can really be a pain in the ass sometimes too."
"Yeah, for real, a pain in the ass," the System agreed cheerfully.
Ren found himself somewhat amazed by the realization that the System was truly a real living being with its own personality and grudges. The idea that his cosmic guide could be petty and vengeful was both disturbing and oddly comforting.
The System looked at Ren and laughed.
"Well, I know I'm a pain in the ass, but you're stuck with me for now, Host."
"Well, then there's nothing I can do about it," Ren said, his smile becoming more genuine. Despite the System's revenge prank, he found himself appreciating the honesty and personality behind it.
He held out his fist toward the System. "Let's be friends, System. This is a long path we'll be walking forward together."
The System's expression softened, both halves showing something like genuine warmth.
The System smiled back and bumped fists with him. "Sure, I'll be in your care too."
Then the System began to transform before Ren's eyes.
The change was cinematic in its scope and horror. The divided appearance of light and shadow began to merge, but not into harmony. Instead, the divine and horror aspects twisted together like competing forces trying to occupy the same space.
The golden light that had emanated from the divine half was consumed by spreading darkness, but instead of disappearing, it became something else entirely. The light turned sickly and pale, like moonlight filtered through diseased flesh.
The System's human like features began to elongate and distort. Its skull expanded upward and outward, becoming something that was distinctly not human. Multiple horns erupted from its head in asymmetrical patterns, some curved like ram's horns, others straight and sharp like spears. Each horn was bone white but stained with what looked like old blood.
Its face became a skull like visage, but one that retained enough flesh to be disturbingly expressive. The eye sockets deepened, becoming hollow caverns that contained points of red light instead of normal eyes. The bone structure of its jaw became more pronounced, giving it a permanent grimace that revealed too many teeth.
The elegant robes it had worn transformed into something that looked like formal attire but wrong in every detail. A perfectly tailored suit materialized, dark gray with subtle pinstripes that seemed to move when viewed directly. The suit was immaculate, the kind of formal wear that belonged in boardrooms and high society, but it was worn by something that was unmistakably monstrous.
A white dress shirt appeared beneath the suit jacket, crisp and clean, with cufflinks that gleamed like stars. But the contrast between the refined clothing and the demonic skull head made the entire ensemble deeply unsettling.
The transformation was accompanied by an aura of contained power that made the air itself feel heavy. This wasn't just a cosmetic change; the System had become something fundamentally different, something that embodied the horror path Ren has chosen.
When the transformation completed, the System stood before Ren in its new form: a demonic entity wearing the finest formal attire, like a business executive from the deepest circles of hell.
Ren looked at the new form of his System, stunned for a moment by the dramatic change. Then he smiled and said, "You look pretty fucking demonic now, System."
The System furrowed what remained of its brow, the bone ridges above its glowing red eyes drawing together in an expression of mild annoyance. "That's the point, you idiot. You chose the horror path, remember? Did you expect me to look like a cute kitten?"
Chapter 109: Origin 5
"Haa, just have to tell you before everything gets more confusing," the System said, its demonic skull face becoming more serious. The red pinpoints in its eye sockets dimmed slightly, like warning lights preparing for bad news.
"About your memories."
Ren felt his body tense immediately. The casual atmosphere from moments ago evaporated like steam hitting cold air. His hands, which had been relaxed at his sides, curled into loose fists. His jaw tightened, and he could feel the muscles in his neck going rigid.
"Do I get them back?" he asked, his voice careful and controlled. Inside, his heart was already racing, each beat loud enough that he wondered if the System could hear it. His breathing had become shallow without him noticing.
"Not now, at least."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Ren's restlessness grew with each evasive answer. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, unable to stand completely still.
"Well, it's kinda not my fault, though," the System said defensively, raising both hands like someone trying to deflect blame. The gesture looked almost comical coming from a demonic entity in formal wear, like a business executive caught embezzling funds.
"What?" The single word came out sharper than Ren intended. His eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward, his body language shifting from nervous to confrontational.
"It's about your mental state." The System gestured vaguely at Ren's head, its clawed fingers tracing patterns in the air.
"Although the Mental Resistance skill got fixed, your suppressed memories have already been suppressed. They won't come back easily."
Ren's face went through several expressions in rapid succession.
"And why is that?"
"Well, if I were to be honest, it's like the sealing process has already been done." The System paused, clearly searching for the right analogy. Its horned head tilted to one side, and Ren could almost see the gears turning behind those glowing red eyes.
"If I were to compare it, it's like this: there's an idiot undertaker that buries everything that resembles a corpse. A corpse is like your fear. Everything that resembles fear will get buried by the Mental Resistance skill and your mental defense mechanism."
Ren's expression shifted to one of dawning understanding, though the frustration didn't leave his features. His eyes widened slightly, and his mouth opened as if to speak, then closed again. He was processing, trying to wrap his mind around the metaphor.
The System continued, its skull features animated despite the lack of proper facial muscles. The bone structure somehow conveyed earnestness, desperation even, as it tried to make Ren understand.
"Although we changed the undertaker to a competent one, we don't know what the previous idiot undertaker has buried. Could be bodies. Could be treasure. Could be your car keys. Who knows?"
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Ren's lip twitched at the car keys comment. It was such an absurdly mundane thing to mention in a conversation about suppressed traumatic memories that it almost broke through his rising anxiety. Almost.
Ren's expression became deadly serious. The casual demeanor he'd been maintaining cracked completely, falling away like a mask that had served its purpose.
"Then will I ever get them back?" The question came out quiet, almost vulnerable. His voice had lost its sharp edge, replaced by something raw and uncertain.
The System scratched its horned head, the gesture oddly human despite its demonic appearance. The claws made a faint scraping sound against bone that set Ren's teeth on edge. Its posture shifted, becoming less defensive and more uncomfortable, like someone about to deliver news they knew wouldn't be well received.
"Well, if the condition is met, it should be fine."
"What condition?" Ren leaned forward slightly, his body language demanding a straight answer.
"It's like when you died, you got some memories back, right?"
Ren's face paled slightly at the reminder. His eyes lost focus for a moment, clearly replaying the experience in his mind. The memory of when his head has been severed, of his heart giving out, of the soul ocean where he'd devoured other consciousnesses to survive. His throat worked as he swallowed hard.
"Yes. Some fucked up memories." His voice was flat, emotionless, the tone of someone who had learned to compartmentalize trauma through years of medical training. But his hands betrayed him, trembling slightly before he shoved them into the pockets of his coat.
"Well, I should tell you to prepare yourself." The System's tone became grave, its entire demeanor shifting. The red lights in its eye sockets brightened, fixing on Ren with uncomfortable intensity. Its posture straightened, becoming more formal, more serious.
"All of those memories are gonna be fucked up. They were buried for a reason, no?"
Ren's jaw clenched so hard that the muscles in his cheeks stood out in sharp relief. His breathing had become very controlled, deliberate, the kind of breathing someone does when they're trying not to panic.
"And the condition to unlock them is kinda traumatic. Like death."
"What the fuck?" Ren's voice rose in disbelief, his carefully maintained composure cracking. His eyes widened, and he took a step back as if physically recoiling from the words. His hands came out of his pockets, spreading wide in a gesture of incomprehension.
"Death is not traumatic enough? It's literally death, right?"
His voice had taken on a slightly hysterical edge.
"You have to prepare if you're gonna walk this path, Ren." The System's glowing eyes fixed on him with uncomfortable intensity, unblinking, unwavering. Its expression, as much as a skull could have one, was sympathetic but firm.
"You will experience things that are worse than death, and you have to prevail to survive. That's just the reality of the horror path."
Ren felt his spirits sink like a stone dropped in deep water. The color that had returned to his face during his outburst drained away again, leaving him looking almost gray in the cosmic light. His shoulders slumped forward, the military straightness leaving his posture as the weight of the System's words settled on him like a physical burden. He'd already expected this kind of answer somewhere deep down, but hearing it confirmed made everything feel more real, more inevitable.
His chest felt tight, like someone had wrapped steel bands around his ribs and was slowly, methodically tightening them. Each breath became harder to draw, though he tried to hide it. His eyes, which had been so expressive moments ago, became distant, looking at something far beyond the cosmic lounge.
The cosmic lounge around them seemed to respond to his emotional state, the ambient light dimming as if in sympathy. The crystalline furniture lost some of its luster, and the stars embedded in the table flickered like dying embers.
"But at least you got the system fixed, right?" the System offered weakly, trying to find some silver lining. Its tone was almost pleading, desperate to offer some comfort. The demonic entity actually looked uncomfortable, shifting its weight from foot to foot in a gesture that mirrored Ren's earlier nervousness.
"Man…, System," Ren said, running both hands through his hair in frustration. The gesture was violent, almost aggressive, his fingers digging into his scalp as if trying to physically pull out the confusion and fear. His hair stood up in disarray when he finally dropped his hands.
"I don't even know what happened after I started devouring those souls, and how I can end up here as one of the One Above All's chosen."
His voice grew louder with each word, all the pent up confusion and fear spilling out like water from a broken dam. His face flushed with emotion, a combination of anger, fear, and desperate confusion painting his features in harsh lines.
"Fuck, man. There are so many questions, and so little of them have been answered. I'm just stumbling through this cosmic horror show blind."
His hands spread wide again, then dropped to his sides in a gesture of helpless frustration. His chest heaved with the effort of containing his emotions, and for a moment he looked very young, very vulnerable, stripped of all the defenses he'd built up over years of medical school and dealing with death.
The System's gaze became sympathetic. The demonic features somehow managed to convey genuine concern. It opened its mouth to speak, but before it could say anything comforting, Ren's expression suddenly changed.
The transformation was startling in its completeness. Like flipping a switch, the despair and frustration vanished from Ren's face, replaced by a smile that was equal parts genuine and manic. His eyes brightened, taking on an almost feverish quality. The slumped shoulders straightened, and he actually bounced slightly on the balls of his feet.
"Fuck it. There's nothing I could do about it anyway." Ren turned 180 degrees emotionally and smiled, the expression bright and almost unsettling in how quickly it had appeared.
"What the fuck, dude?" The System actually startled, its skull jerking backward and its clawed hands coming up defensively. The sudden shift had clearly caught it completely off guard.
"Are you mentally ill or some shit? No, wait, you're already mentally ill, but this is kind of new, right? Did you develop bipolar disorder or something?"
The concern in the System's voice was genuine, tinged with real worry. Its eyes scanned Ren's face as if looking for signs of a complete mental breakdown.
"System, there's one saying that always comes to me when I feel hopeless, you know," Ren said, his smile becoming more genuine and less desperate. His eyes cleared, taking on a determined gleam. His posture relaxed into something more natural, less manic.
"What is it again, bipolar man?" the System asked cautiously, still eyeing Ren like he might explode at any moment.
"Who the fuck is bipolar man?!" Ren shouted, but there was laughter in his voice now, genuine amusement cutting through the tension. He waved his hand dismissively, the gesture loose and easy.
"No, let me explain. The saying is: the world will always find a way to fuck your life up and make you unhappy."
He paused for dramatic effect, his smile becoming softer,
"The only thing you can do to fight it is to say fuck it, don't care, and be happy anyway."
The System tilted its horned skull, the gesture conveying genuine contemplation. Its posture remained cautious, but some of the tension had left its shoulders.
"Isn't that like... running away from problems?"
"Hah, you and your clever comebacks." Ren's smile didn't fade, and there was genuine warmth in his expression now, the manic edge completely gone.
The System looked at him for a long moment, its glowing eyes studying Ren's face with an intensity that felt almost invasive. Then something in its expression softened, the skull features somehow managing to convey tenderness. When it spoke, its voice was quiet, almost gentle.
"As long as you're happy, Ren. As long as you're happy."
There was something in the System's tone that made Ren pause. The genuine care in those words, spoken by a demonic entity in a pinstripe suit, struck something deep in his chest. He eyed the entity suspiciously, his smile fading into something more cautious.
"That sounded weirdly genuine."
"Now let's move on to the next step," the System said quickly, clearly trying to change the subject. Its posture shifted back to business like efficiency, though some warmth remained in its eyes.
"What next step? Isn't this already over?" Ren looked around the cosmic lounge, confused. His brow furrowed again, and his head tilted slightly to one side. He'd thought their conversation was wrapping up.
The System laughed, a sound like grinding bones mixed with dark humor. The sound should have been terrifying, but somehow it just sounded amused.
"Doesn't Master Levi tell you something, Ren?"
"Why do you call him master? You know him?" Ren's suspicion deepened, his eyes narrowing. His entire body language shifted back to alert, questioning. One eyebrow raised in an expression of profound skepticism.
"No comment." The System's expression became unreadable, which was impressive given it was literally a skull.
"Well, Master Levi must have told you about meeting a great being, right?"
"Isn't that you, System?" Ren's tone was carefully neutral, but his eyes watched the System's every movement like a hawk.
"Hah!" The System barked out a laugh, its skull somehow managing to look genuinely amused.
"If I'm so great, I wouldn't be broken in the first place."
"Makes sense," Ren admitted, his posture relaxing slightly. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
The System straightened its pinstripe suit with a gesture that was almost nervous
"Adjust your suit. Make it as good as possible."
Ren looked down at his Umbral Gentleman Attire, suddenly aware that he might be underdressed for whatever was coming next. The cosmic lounge around them began to shift, the crystalline furniture and starlight walls starting to fade at the edges.
"Let's go meet the One Above All."