Chapter 1569: Chapter 1569

Suddenly, the System screen glitched and displayed messages in a vivid red hue.

[Unauthorized breach of security. Please cease your actions immediately. ERROR, ERROR, ERROR.]

Moments later, it restarted.

[Extracting Data Banks… Updating [Ultimate Skill: Divine System]…]

[The [Ultimate Skill: Divine System] has absorbed the Data and Information of the Babel Tower, initiating a hack through its Roots.]

[You have successfully acquired a substantial amount of information.]

[Restarting procedure… Concealing the breach to appear undetected.]

What in the world? We've got a master hacker here!

Michael did it, ladies and gentlemen!

[Information unavailable. High Administrator Privileges required to access necessary Data Banks.]

Perfect, let them believe we didn't obtain the information. That's for the best.

"Nicely done, Michael! Now tell me what you found… what's the origin? Did you even know?"

[No, I didn't. I never really cared before. But now I'm curious and… I see, so that's it. Haha, how wicked.]

"What?! What is it? Tell me!"

[Accessing information extracted from the Data Banks of the Babel System…]

Fragments of Forgotten Worlds, destroyed by their Calamities, where living beings cling to survival by invading other worlds. These Fragments integrate with selected worlds to spread their unique energies and essences, contaminating the host world and attempting to dominate it with their endemic lifeforms. When the Field Boss is defeated, the Field Dungeon halts its expansion and can be destroyed to extract [Spirit Treasures] from the Fragments of Forgotten Worlds.

Portals leading to Fragments of Forgotten Worlds that failed to integrate with a host world but established a bridge to invade it with their endemic lifeforms. The Gate releases monsters to invade the world, eliminate its dominant species, and spread the unique energy and essence of their Forgotten World to contaminate the host and prepare it for full assimilation. Untreated Gates may evolve into Field Dungeons if their monsters or Gate Boss remain undefeated for too long. When a Field Boss is defeated, the Gate collapses and is consumed by the Void. A [Gate Core] can be extracted to halt this process and gain control over the Forgotten World Fragment.

"So that's how it works! I understand why they don't want Players to know. This is huge… So how many Forgotten Worlds exist? Does the Tower of Babel consume new worlds after one is destroyed and absorbed? Is it more like a living entity? What's going on, Michael?"

[The Tower of Babel is indeed akin to a living entity, but it is ultimately an extension of my Father's essence.]

[The Heavenly Father creates all life and then consumes it in an endless cycle of destruction and creation.]

[In the past, this process was far more balanced, without Calamities, allowing worlds to reach their natural conclusions.]

[However, over the past ten thousand years, Father has accelerated the destruction of worlds through Calamities and encouraged Players to seize worlds by claiming Divine Thrones, hastening the destruction of these worlds even further.]

All this time, it was merely the Heavenly Father's feast…

That explains why the Outer Gods want this to end. He's relentlessly destroying more and more…

[Ultimately, the balance that once existed is breaking, and the Universe's life will cease before it can be reborn. Father no longer creates new worlds. He hasn't done so in eons… He only consumes without end. His hunger cannot be contained. Instead of the Heavenly Father, he has become the Great Devourer.]

[This is why I tried to stop him, why I confronted him… but it ended poorly. My siblings halted me, sealed me, and cast me out. They blindly followed his orders, despite his evident descent into madness.]

"Do you think he's like Odin?"

[It's difficult to say. Odin is a youngling compared to the Heavenly Father… but there are similarities. However, I suspect something else drives Father's madness, something tied to Gabriel.]

[Yes. He appears to be aiding Father in accelerating the destruction of worlds. Ironically, Odin's selfishness has significantly slowed your world's destruction… something Father disliked.]

[Because of that, he exploited your existence, just as the Outer Gods have. He attempted to use you to destroy the world but failed because the Outer Gods guided you onto a different path.]

[Now he's desperately trying to eliminate you through indirect means… manipulating Fate, a power my brother should not possess, one reserved solely for the Heavenly Father.]

"You mean… your Father is being manipulated?"

[I don't even know if my Father remains alive… Gabriel… he's done something to him! I must uncover the truth, Maria! We must uncover it together!]

[Who knows what my Father has endured?! Nothing proves he isn't merely a puppet for my damned brother…]

"I know, I know, calm down… we'll find out, I promise," I said. "You're going a bit far. If your Father is so powerful, I doubt that's the case… Even beings like him may fall from grace someday. It doesn't mean he's being manipulated."

[Haaah… Perhaps you're right… Or not. We'll find out. The data I extracted is vast. I'll begin analyzing it to learn more, anything. This is the first time our System has "upgraded" in ages.]

"Alright then, do that to keep yourself occupied. I'm here for you, Michael. You're not alone, never forget that."

Ah, he got shy and hid, huh?

We're finally witnessing some rich character development!

He's opening up so much more now. This is delightful.

Hah, who would've imagined I'd have such a stunning Archangel sealed within my soul?

It's hard to believe I've got such an attractive figure in my—

[I can read your thoughts, you know!]

"Eeek! Don't do that, you pervert!"

[Anyway, if you need anything, just ask.]

"Okey dokey~! For now, I don't plan on tackling any Field Dungeons or Gates unless… Wait, could I open them inside my Soulscape?!"

[I hadn't considered that. Perhaps… but first, you'd need to establish a connection between the Soulscape Realm and this world, Azure Star.]

"Isn't there one already? My Divine Throne! And the Veil I just created."

[No, those won't suffice. You need a physical, constant connection.]

"I see. Could I create a portal then?"

[That might work… but why do you want to do that?]

"I'm not sure, maybe to grow stronger? It depends on whether Gates and Field Dungeons benefit or harm my Soulscape Realm. Right now, it's a complete mess, so it wouldn't matter if it got messier."

[It could serve as a refuge for those abandoned in these fragments…]

"Exactly! As long as they're intelligent and well-behaved…"

[And you could hunt monsters or savages lacking true intelligence for Experience Points and Materials, then extract Spirit Treasures or enhance your Soulscape Realm to expand it further.]

"That's precisely what I was thinking, Michael. You're brilliant."

[Hmph, naturally I am. Now, return to that planet. There's nothing for you to do up here.]

"Yeah… I'm still a bit sad the moon and Mars are gone… or, well, do they even call it Mars here?"

[They call it both Red Star and Mars.]

"That fits, I suppose…"

I closed my Void Eyes and opened my physical eyes, finding myself amid a commotion, with people surrounding me and my friends, incessantly asking what was happening and why our names appeared in those messages.

"Maria, what's going on?!"

"You and your friends were chosen?!"

"Open your eyes! Oi! What's wrong with her?"

"Maria! What's that tower? Is this your doing?"

"Are the Nightmares back?!"

Teachers, students, and civilians bombarded us with questions, while my friends and family did their best to shield me.

"Hey, you damned fools, don't you dare touch her!" Lucifer roared angrily.

"Please calm down! Maria is meditating briefly to understand things!" Emeraldine said.

"Take another step, and I'll behead you all!" Partner hissed.

"Everyone, relax. Nothing bad will happen to any of you," Nia said, trying to reassure them.

"Calm down, everyone! Calm down!" Nyx called, hovering above the crowd.

"Ugh, they're all frantic again…" Celes sighed. Thɪs chapter is updated by N0velFire.ɴet

As I surveyed the scene, I sighed, and my Aura surged, unleashing a shockwave of potent energy.

Yet no one was harmed. They simply froze, paralyzed by the sheer force of my presence.

"Everyone, stop making such a fuss," I said. "I'll explain everything. Gather as many cameras as possible or any recording devices. If you can broadcast this on TV, the internet, or radio, that's even better. I will reveal the truth about this world and the Tower to you all."