I Hate Systems

'Shit! Shit! SHIT!' The Money-Making System was losing its cool, 'I have to persist with this situation for another eight months?'

Through the eyes of Stencil, it observed her vacant eyes before focusing on the choker on her neck, one that was pulsating with faint electrical surges from time to time. 'That thing incapacitated Stencil.'

Things went wrong from the moment it inhabited Stencil. After all, it was the first time it had seen one of its Hosts being turned into a System Slayer. And in its hurry, it had returned to Earth as that was the only portal that it had already prepared.

It had forgotten the enemy that had been chasing after it on Earth. 'Back then, I had to spend a lot of Mental Energy just to ensure Stencil survived the accident that claimed his family. In one move, they almost crippled Compass Carburettor's will to live.'

Only after it returned to Earth and took Host within Stencil did the Money-Making System recall the state of things. At least, when Compass Carburettor had been around, the power he wielded ensured that it was able to retaliate against its foe.

But with Stencil, it wasn't possible. Even if it spoon-fed her what to do, she was just an eight-year-old child, innocent, unable to contend against her opponent.

So, she fell victim, time and again. First, she lost all the wealth that Compass Carburettor had prepared in her name. With her inheritance gone, she became helpless overnight.

Following it were her allies, those that Compass Carburettor had helped in the past and treated her with care. One after another, they either fell ill or met with accidents.

Before long, the ownership of Carburettor Island changed hands as a new giant emerged supreme, having a hand in the world economy.

For one and a half years, Stencil struggled to survive, having no other option but to rely upon the Money-Making System to survive. But in the end, there was a limit to what she could do.

Even if the Money-Making System gave her a plan, her innocence and naivety prevented her from seeing it through. And even if she did, she couldn't win against her foe that machinated everything from behind the scenes.

Secret Schemer System—Level 45!

This was not to mention its two underling Systems that moved based on its orders. There was a limit to how long the Money-Making System, a Hatchling non-battle-oriented System could hold on, that too with a child as a Host.

Eventually, Stencil was captured. But, she wasn't killed yet. After all, the Money-Making System was a monetary-based System, possessing Mental Energy that was vastly superior to Hatchling Systems.

Even the Secret Schemer System had to be on guard against what it was capable of. That was why they were currently in a war of attrition.

They had trapped Stencil in a research laboratory where her life was at risk, forcing the Money-Making System to expend Mental Energy to keep her alive. Worn on her neck was a choker, a state-of-the-art device created by the expert researchers of Carburettor Island under the Secret Schemer System Host's orders.

It was one of a kind, a Neural Impulse Actuator, NIA for short. Through the electric and magnetic fluctuation it emits, it can actuate the electric signals in the neural network, preventing signals from reaching certain parts of Stencil's brain.

Due to this, Stencil was in a vegetative state, unable to think or move, rendering the Money-Making System immobile.

This left it with only one option to save itself. And that was to return to the System World. But, a single trip cost 100,000 Mental Energy. And, its enemies were waiting for it to waste so much Mental Energy in a futile effort.

After all, they could easily follow it to the System World. Since they would be arriving from the same world, they wouldn't arrive too far from one another in the System World.

So, they could easily target the weakened Money-Making System. That was why the Money-Making System was enduring, prolonging this battle of attrition, hoping for the Elf to hurry and save it. That was why it had accepted the Elf's deal spontaneously.

And now, it was almost going crazy, worried about its depleting Mental Energy since its influx was pretty much zero. The Secret Schemer System Host had wiped out all records of Stencil's existence, easily diverting the focus of the sheeple to something else.

Revealing the corruption of a couple of major politicians, dirty secrets of actors and actresses, safety hazards of amusement parks, etc. They were plenty of ways to keep the mind of the sheeple busy enough that they would forget her existence soon after, due to their short attention span.

"Yo, Money-Making System…"

'T-This voice! Compass?' The Money-Making System's thoughts came to an abrupt halt as a Mental Energy stream flowed into it. Even though it was flustered, its situation was already in the red anyway. So, it at least hoped he would do something to save it, for its Host was his beloved daughter.

And just as it had thought, his voice resounded loud and clear as it translated the contents within the Mental Energy stream.

"In thirty seconds, I'll appear before you. The moment you see me, head towards the System World. We'll leave once Stencil is turned into a Slayer. You don't have a choice anyway. Either you do it voluntarily, or I'll forcefully bring you to the System World and kill you. You decide your fate."

"You should have enough Mental Energy…7…6…5…"

The countdown happened as it was flustered. For a moment, it thought this was the Secret Schemer System's plan to fool it into wasting its Mental Energy. But, having been with him for 20 years, it could recognise his Mental Energy perfectly, aware that the one talking with it was indeed Compass Carburettor.

'Shit, he wouldn't be able to do anything against Secret Schemer System. It hasn't even been two years since he became a Slayer. He won't even be able to scratch it.' The Money-Making System thought in worry, but in the Mental Energy, the numbers continued to count down, the voice powerful, the tone solid.

"3…2…1…!" Right as the countdown ended, and while the Money-Making System continued to worry if it would work, a jet-black entity covered by a blanket resembling the night sky appeared, unleashing a suffocating presence.

"Go!"

'Screw it!' The Money-Making System gasped, almost lost for words as it doubted its eyes, wondering whether the person before it was really Compass Carburettor or not. But, the Mental Energy stream flowing to it from him was enough proof as it hurriedly condensed a portal to head to the System World.

Time stopped as Compass Carburettor noticed a figure rushing at them as he condensed a sphere of Dust Wave and dropped it, touching the portal as his figure vanished.

The figure was a System Host in charge of observing Stencil as he hurriedly tried to take action before grunting in shock.

[What the fuck? My Mental Energy! It's gone!]

The last he heard was his System's scream as he noticed a tiny sphere dropped by that mysterious night-cloaked individual touch the floor, cracking before breaking in response.

'Ah shit, I screwed up.'

That was his final thought as his body turned into dust, including the entire skyscraper Stencil was trapped under. Appearing at one region of Carburettor Island was a hill of dust, the once majestic building that had been there was now no more.