372 Cradle

While I heard something about it, it was more in terms of funny tidbit rather than a knowledge I would actively seek.

"Yeah. What I'm about to tell you, is just a conjecture of my host, who actually happened to be a neurosurgeon. While it's only a theory, just the fact that you can speak with me right now means that there was some truth to his attempts of understanding this matter. It also speaks a lot about what kind of existences those God's are!"

Damn it, even the prologue to the proper explanation brough more information that my own efforts so far. Gods? There were more than one? And why did this persona act so negatively towards them?

"While it's only a theory, some people believed that in fact, humans possess two consciousnesses inside their heads. It's just the fact that the left half of the brain governs speech, making it a dominant one. But a series of tests on the people whose connection between those two halves got broken shows that at times, your left and right hand, governed by two separate halves, can be in disagreement on various topics!"

Okay, what? What the hell? Am I supposed to believe that since my very birth, there was some separate entity living alongside me, while remaining mute for its entire life? But even if that were to be the truth, what's the real point of this story?!

"As you probably don't know, left half of your brain, controls your right hand and eye. Right half on the other side, governs the other two. Starting with the easy part, if you were to show the order to your left eye only to pick up something and then pass it to the other hand, then be asked why do you hold this object, all the subjects would come up with some sort of silly story like if the object was a rubic cube, they would tell they always wanted to learn it. Which proves their left part of the brain made up the story explaining the situation. Speaking of which, this topic made my host wonder for a long time about the real free will…"

While the topic wasn't easy, the way in which it was explained was simple enough for me to follow. But the closer this entity got to the point, the worse conjectures were born in my head.

"To change the approach a bit, did you notice that after the system activated, or even after you transmigrated… Your personality changed a bit? Turned more rational, logical… less influenced by the emotions and more by the instincts?"

This question was enough to nail the point home. Shrugging violently, I finally realised what this thing was trying to imply!

"I see you noticed my point. That's also the reason, why its hard to say what us, the systems really are. Reformed, hidden personality? Magical tools? Or maybe parasites?"

"And your host somehow managed to separate his right side of the brain in order to let you outlive him, right? What was your purpose with this ritual then?"

With a bad premonition rising in my mind, I couldn't help but recall the sight of this insanely condensed and complicated orb of energy, hidden previously within the body of the princess. If the original host of this system I was speaking with right now was neurosurgeon, then maybe he managed to find a way to transplant his consciousness through magic into the body of others?

"This… In order to explain the motive of my master, I need to elaborate on this world a bit. I think that considering the fact that you are here in the first place, you should already know about the areal barriers and the guardians?"

What the hell? Why did this entity assumed I know some sort of basic knowledge when I was limited only to some silly assumptions without any real way of proving them? 

While it was almost infuriating to meet with someone possessing the knowledge that I was striving so much to learn, and treating it as something even the dumbest person should know, I couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect of finally answering those questions of mine. 

What was this world in the first place? What was this strange phantom that attempted to chase me all the way to my own island after I escaped the cultivation town? Was those guardians that this foreign system mentioned the same protectors that this damned visitor from the higher graded sect spoke about when he thought I wouldn't be able to escape from his clutches all the way back when I went to scavenge the city?

"Let's say that I want to fully understand your viewpoint on the matter, instead of just skimming over it. Even if I know something about this stuff, there is a high chance that our knowledge differs."

While I still didn't feel any sort of killing intent nor saw any suspicious signs of trap springing up on me, I didn't want to appear completely clueless. For now, it appeared as this system treated me as an equal, so it was in my best interest to keep that impression!

"Okay then. To keep this short, this entire world is separated into various areas, where the way of using free energy greatly differs. This entire area on which border we currently are aims to use the mana to strengthen our bodies, hence the God governing it picked a doctor as his hero, probably hoping that my host's knowledge would allow him to improve the perception of magic in this area. As for the guardians, they are the forces either chosen by the God or picked amongst the greatest powerhouses of the entire area, tasked with guarding the borders of those areas."

I think that means I was right about those phantoms! Maybe they chased after me because I teleported right to the border of the area that this system just mentioned, or maybe they were irked by my use of magic outside of cultivation, but that means I was already on the radar of the most powerful entities in this world!

Way to go, panic mode!

"What is the point of those guardians? Are they preparing for a war of sorts with how strictly they are guarding the secrets of one area against being spilt to the other one?"

That was the point that got me thinking the most. If the aim of God was to make new powerful heroes for any reason that it could have, what would make him limit all his chosen ones to just one form of energy usage?

"And that's where we are reaching the point where I can answer your previous question. My master knew that the guardians were coming after him since he managed to discover a new way to use the mana that deviated from the path of this land. He created this entire place in order to find a suitable successor, to which his consciousness would be implanted through the ritual… But he didn't account for one thing. Not even a single descendant of the people he brough to this place was strong enough to survive the merging process."

At this point, I noticed that far in the distance of the hall, huge amounts of energy were slowly creeping out from their natural flow, amassing in some form of formation. Wary of the possibility of the attack, I would love to escape this place right away, but I was just about to reach the crux of the matter that haunted me ever since I transmigrated to this place! 

"As time passed, a weaker and weaker specimen was brought for the ritual, ultimately leading for only a single part of my host consciousness remaining to this day. But seeing how you managed to overcome the ritual, there is no way for me to actually force you to merge with it. Hence, I can only ask you to cultivate a strong body amongst the folk that remains in this place, so that my master could be revived in the future."

With more and more of the energy forming in the distance, it was a wonder that this system expected me to not notice it. But I still had one last question that I had to get the answer for, before bailing out of this place!

"What is this world then? Are they preparing for the war? You didn't answer that question!"

Seeing how my body tensed up, the golem shrugged its arms, most likely taking my tension to be the effect of the scale of the question and the implications behind its potential answers.