Author's Note: Welp, here's my second fic. This time, it's a Mass Effect fic, but a Gamer SI, with elements from various other series, primarily Elite Dangerous. Rating set to Mature just to be safe. I will update this only whenever since my focus right now is on my Bleach-FFXIV fic. I got this out to make sure that this doesn't bug my mind.
EDIT: Changed Agility (AGI) to Perception (PER). AGI is redundant with DEX; thus, it will be combined into DEX and in its place will be PER instead. SP removed due to it being too redundant upon rethinking. Also, the year's moved back a bit to 2125 CE, or around 26 years BEFORE the initial year I picked. The reasons will be explained in the story itself. Also, will move some Perks into the newly added Traits after some consideration, due to their nature of being innate/soul-related rather than obtained through training or to that effect.
EDIT 2: Decided to do some rewrite and replace charas from Arpeggio with Subverse. No, I'm not repentant. No, it's not merely for future AO/Lemon sections/chapters. I just feel rather weird at the thought of having Arpeggio charas while being all...that. You gotta agree that it feels super weird in having them for this.
Disclaimer: All rights of Halo, Elite: Dangerous, Mass Effect, Subverse, The Gamer, and Call of Duty belong to their respective holders. I only own my OC and a few other sheit that might come up later. I will not repeat this disclaimer again in future chapters, unless I have other things that I'd want to add.
Chapter 1: Because Being Thrown into One Game World is Fine, Why Not Get Thrown into Another One as Well?
AD 3308.01.01 / 2022.01.01 (E:D/Real World)
Pad 32, Bluford Orbital, LHS 3447
It's been several years since THIS happened. Me, some dude who bought a game called Elite:Dangerous, got blipped into the damn game. And what's worse, you ask? It was when I had just graduated from High School. Well, to be specific, around several months after said graduation. I don't remember exactly the proper date, but it's definitely before the end of the year 2015.
You want a clue? Here's a hint: The start was between the year after a certain JKW got elected to office as President in his first term, to the end being a year before the controversial Provincial Elections of the 2017 that involved a certain BTP. For my age at the time? Around 19 years old, maybe even still 18. Hell, if I know.
Yeah, back to the story. So, it's not as if I was COMPLETELY sent to the game world per se. It's like this: imagine you're like switching between the dream world and the real world, but for you, the two felt almost the same, since you are fully aware of the supposed real world and the dream world being different. Even worse, I've been "drifting" between the real world and the game world almost every day. So, I managed to experience the time after I got blipped, while still having presence in the game world.
It was weird, to say the least. I remember the depression, the bullshit that I pulled on others, or others pulled on me. It wasn't fun, to put it mildly. Then the whirling switch between the planes became more frequent by 2020, supposedly when the real world experienced the goddamned pandemic, and the "real" me began playing E:D more often. And to my misfortune, in the first month of 2021, I got infected, or so it goes. Though, I managed to recover eventually. I suppose, I could still count my luck since my symptoms weren't that heavy. Also, the shift happens when I'm asleep in my ship, usually parked in a station. And apparently, time stops in the other world while I'm awake in another. At least there's that.
And yes, I know I wrote a Crossover FanFic for Bleach and FFXIV. I still played the game. Man, that felt like a lifetime ago. Ah, did I forget to mention that my phone (and external HDD) also got shifted along with me by 2020 as well? Thanks to that, I could bring in more content from the real world and into the game world. Yay!
I mean, I don't really connect with the entertainment of the 34th Century, given that I'm still a 21st Century young man by soul. And the only other activities that would not bore me being bounty hunting, on space legs or ship, it's not really a brainer when it comes to what could relieve me from boredom? Still, I'm quite thankful for being in the game world, really. Turns out, I'm filthy rich by being a Commander. Ships ain't cheap, not to mention even the simplest space leg gears for on-foot ops.
Speaking of bounty hunting, that really exposed me to my first kill. As in, taking a human life. I mean, it's hard to take in when you've lived in relative peace all your life, but when they're really pissing you off, it stopped mattered to me if they're Human or not. They lost the right to when they try to screw me over.
About the entertainment stuff? Let's just say I've imported ALL of the shit I loved. Be it R-18 games that will certainly paint me in a dark light, FPS games like COD, or even RPGs like FF, Fallout and ME. Yes, even the dreaded ME:Andromeda. I'm just THAT desperate. Then, I had to use the onboard computer (with the addition of some other programs to have it be done autonomously) to completely rebuild them with the supposed modern standards of the 34th Century gaming.
Suffice it to say, RE2 Remake and RE3 Remake almost made me insomniac. It's fucking terrifying with its realism, and this is NOT even mentioning something like Outlast. HELL NAW! I ain't touching THAT after it got revamped with the best game engine available.
But I appreciate the relief of boredom from those games. I also got music imported, alongside movies, TV shows, anime, manga and such (even the entire Wikipedia and YouTube, despite the latter taking a literal while), so yeah. It's been really good for a while now.
As I've stated earlier, I just don't connect with any of the available entertainment in the 34th Century. They just lack substance, since most are affected by corporate bullshittery, and they're mostly 3DCG with shitty plotline that's barely coherent. Who would've thought that Evangeline Graves' (from the Hyperion fanfic) words regarding entertainment in the E:D verse would actually be true? I didn't. Maybe she does exist in the multiverse, somewhere…
Moving on, the lack of artificial gravity still bothers me. I remember the first couple of years trying to get used to it. Boy it was a nightmare, considering that my first ship was a Sidewinder Mk I, the standard-issue ship for most newbie pilots, with the other options being the Eagle and the Adder. It's not exactly spacious for a newbie to try and wobble around, getting his bearings and the shit.
There's a caveat though. These starter ships are essentially FREE. The Pilot's Federation really comes through with this. Granted, it's because of the subsidy they give to those below Expert rank. But still, it's dirt cheap in comparison to some others that I could think of. I mean, it's the size of a fighter FFS, but still, it's capable of independent FTL. Not many in Sci-Fi could claim they could put a goddamn FTL drive in a small frame like that.
Speaking of which, my ship right now is an Anaconda. Furnished mostly with top-of-the-line market stuff, except for some stuff since my cash is still not enough for the leeway of it. I don't have the time to give two fucks about engineering. It's broken, honestly. And even in the real world, people aren't happy with it since it's grindy as fuck. It was even worse when it was also applied to space legs gear. Oh boy, Odyssey was a shitshow.
Fortunately, I can experience and live in my ship, as in I know the ship interiors, unlike the game in the real world, where FDev was utterly irresponsible. Yeah. Fuck 'em for bullshitting with "ships built with ship interiors in mind". Well, their top brass, and a certain Community Manager who doesn't get the appeal and meaning of having ship interiors. The real devs, however, aren't really responsible for the shitshow. They simply got shitty brass at the tippy top. Moving on…
Aside from the Anaconda, I still have my FDL and Cobra Mk III. FDL for fast combat and Medium Landing, while Cobra's for Small Landing. In short, it's for practicality I kept them, with sentimentality being the additional factor.
The FPS mechanics just don't make any goddamn sense. At least, when I tried it for myself in the actual game world, it does. But when I was there myself, instead of the simulated game world? It's way different. The Karma AR? It has better mechanics than what the game in the real world depicted. But I still prefer the Manticore Pistol, the Tormentor. That shit's the real deal. And not to mention, the weapons CAN swap mods, as in optics, magazine, etc.
My usual loadout would be a TK Aphelion for my primary, with the Tormentor being my secondary. The armor for this is obviously the Maverick suit since no sane person would use the Flight suit on-foot. Obviously. On the other hand, the Dominator is a no-go, too energy-hungry, despite that I can bring two primaries alongside 1 secondary. It's just not built for versatile usage since it doesn't have an Arc Cutter. Unless you're planning to go to conflict zones, stick to the Maverick. That's my advice.
Speaking of the hardsuits, the shields of the suits are pretty tanky, really. I can't believe they haven't balanced it when it still takes like two full mags of the Karma AR to even deplete the damn shields. Mind you, it has 40 rounds per mag, and if I have to guess, the munitions are almost definitely above 7.62 mm in caliber. Projectile recoil, you ask? Contrary to the game's depiction, the real one has no actual recoil, or it's negligent enough that it's pretty much a non-factor in combat. According to some of the engineers that I've met, the recoil, which was artificially generated by the by, was supposedly there to help in making it less awkward. Ah, the benefits of the advancements of the 34th Century, in so much so that recoil had to be simulated to add to the negligible recoil produced by the firing of the weapon. One that's bizarre, but understandable, to only an extent though.
The lack of certain types of weapons, like HMGs, Combat Shotguns, and such still bugged the fuck outta me. That's my sole gripe with the world of Elite: Dangerous, AKA the world that I oft transition into. That's why I've also brought as many schematics (and blueprints) of weapons used in the 21st Century as possible, including weapons like the ones from the NGSW program and such. I've also done so with historical weapons from the two World Wars and the Cold War. Just in case we need more inspiration.
Well… Let's get into the meat of it, shall we?
It was just another day, waking up in the real world. Doing stuff, writing more chapters of my fanfic while wasting away with the shitty life in the "real world". Night comes, and then I slept. Usually, this is how I transition into the game world. And guess what happened for this night that I'm emphasizing at? Yep, ladies and gentlemen, surprise, surprise. The universe has the greatest of ideas and providence to fuck me over yet again.
[Initialize system…]
[System startup complete.]
"?" I grunted as I opened my eyes.
Contrary to my initial expectation, I was not greeted with the sight of my cabin within my Anaconda that I named NVPS Gurenbana. Instead, it could only be described as literal emptiness. I can still hear my voice, the beating of my heart. But there was no wind. Nothing, nada. The only thing, perhaps, that may have kept me from going frantic, was the bizarre holographic display in front of me.
Welcome, user "CMDR Josua" to the GAMER system.
"Gamer?" I wondered aloud for a moment, before it clicked.
Ah, this is one of THOSE kinds of situation. The predictable gift of the Gamer system. For the uninitiated, the Gamer system is originally from the popular LINE Webtoon series, The Gamer, in which is originally used by Han Jihan, the protagonist. However, in the fanfiction verse, it sprawled into whole other shit. Sometimes people become OP as fuck, or in other occasions, it's so stripped down that it's more of an insult to the original at that point.
As the name implies, the system is like the ones from games, or in the original case, reminiscent of RPG games. It has a party system, inventory, skills, and such. Very straightforward for the original, but either completely made into OP by some fanfictions, while other completely stripped them down, and another lies in the between.
Question is: Which one do I get?
The GAMER system stands for General Alteration of the Meta-Existence in Reality. This system nurtures the user and aids them in whatever they wish to achieve, within reason of course.
Huh, neat. Seems like this one is one of those balanced ones. Go on.
CMDR Josua has been in the beta of the GAMER system circa 2015 AD.
Oh. OH.
For your continued participation, and extraordinary results during the beta period, you've been awarded with the highest tier available for beta user(s).
Wait, users? Plural?
Indeed, Commander. We've run this beta across the infinite existence and between innumerable beta users. You, however, stand amongst the few that have achieved more than your peers. The only one above you in the tiers during the beta is Han Jihan since he is the origin of the Gamer system.
What a surprise. Of course, I'm being sarcastic. Sigh. Go on.
You've been awarded with the opportunity to transition to another universe of your own choosing, along with the privileges of the GAMER system, which includes all of the basic perks it has, adjusted to your current parameters. Of course, you're allowed to bring whatever you have alongside with you.
Ho, so this is one of those?
Indeed.
Ah, a sentient system, are you? This just got better and better. And I'm being sincere here.
Thank you, user. Your compliments are appreciated.
Anyways, what are my options?
Since the user has some prior knowledge of the GAMER system, we've put together a list for the user to read. Feel free to look around before making your choice.
Sure.
Glancing down at the box below the display, there was an extensive list of universes I could go into.
Let's see… Hmm…
[Category: Anime/Manga, TV Shows, Movies, Books/Novels, Games, Manhwa/Webtoon, Manhua/Donghua]
[Genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Adult, Modern, Historical…]
[Series List: …]
[Setting: Canon, Fanon, Fanfiction]
[Timeline: …]
Rolling my eyes up and down the list, I feel like I wanna bash someone's head in. IT'S TOO DAMN MANY!
But still, for the sake of ease, let's make it simple.
Given that I'm in a Sci-Fi universe already, let's go with… Hmm…
I mean I could go with that, but… Eh, let's just go with that.
After probably an hour that also includes me going through the Timeline section in the ME wiki, I finalized my picks.
[Category: Games]
[Genre: Science Fiction/Sci-Fi]
[Series: Mass Effect]
[Setting: Canon] (May subject to change if user intervenes)
[Timeline: Before the First Contact War, circa 2125 CE]
Wait, you ask, why am I choosing 2125 as the year? Well, my dear viewers, there's a perfectly fine reason. I simply wish to expedite some things, while also making sure that some things are less...severe, compared to what happened proper. Of course, I'm talking about the First Contact War.
Let's just say that after considering some things, reading the wiki, and remembering some parts, I'd like it if at least I could force the Turians to a stalemate on Shanxi. Old Williams didn't really deserve the shit he got, and the subsequent "sins of the father passing on to their descendants" shit that hit the Williams family. While I do often romance Ashley in the games as the custom Shepard, I won't know about who the typical canon Shepard would pick. I don't really have a reference, given that they're actual people in this case, so I won't bother do anything to them.
So, I guess I'll be doing something like the Atlas Corporation, but for now, it's still up in the air as to the actual specifics. But it's at least a plan, of a plan. Heh.
Putting that aside, this seems good enough. Well then, what's next?
[Destination input completed. The following additional rewards are given to the user as part of the highest tier beta reward.]
[Reward 1: Faction and Territory Management Feature Unlock. Allows for additional functions for the game system with elements from the 4X genre. Immediate access to available tech known by the end of the beta from the user's beta universe. Beta Period Universe: Elite: Dangerous. Tech tree is available for viewing. (+ Press to view on a separate window.)]
[Reward 2: The Complete Technological Database from up to two verse(s) of the user's choosing. List of available verse(s) is limited to preserve the balance in the new verse. List: (+ Drop down to view and choose.)]
[Reward 3: 1 instant-build Base of Operations, with complementary basic facilities and the form of the base being of the user's choosing. Upon selection, it will immediately be placed inside the inventory and is available for immediate usage. Note: Must not be in a star system with a Mass Relay to protect the canon timeline progression. (+ Drop down to view and select base form.)]
Yep. Easy enough. I'm gonna scroll down later for the tech tree from the 1st reward. The 2nd Reward… Seems like it's giving me the literal tech tree of those two verses. Yeah. I'm liking this already. I got two in mind, since I've seen some fanfic regarding the crossover between them and the ME verse, so it's easy enough to infer. Yes, this meant that I've also imported fanfics from the net and brought it along with me to the other side.
At this point, I've imported much of the internet before even meeting the GAMER system, so don't ask kek :v (I say I imported the internet, but really, whenever I got shifted, it automatically updates the local network database, and that it would require my phone to be connected to the network via some sort of a wireless system that's separate from the mobile network, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or even NFC, because I checked. That pretty much prevents anyone else aside from me to access it, because it also requires me to actually unlock my phone first through biometrics and PIN. Lucky me, I guess, since I managed to figure it out last year. Meanwhile, my HDD serves more to transfer things what I already have in my desktop from the "Waking" world into the E:D-verse. So yeah.)
Well, that's that. Let's get back to the next thing. I pretty much spent an hour choosing the specs for the 2nd Reward and the 3rd Reward. With that done…
So, System, what you got for me on the next step?
Rewards 2 & 3 have been confirmed. They'll be applied shortly.
[Select desired setting for transition from the Beta Period Universe into the new selected verse with the following options:]
[Interdiction by Thargoids: Ship interdicted by Thargoids mid-Witchspace, causes malfunction to the ship's Frame Shift Drive and violently throw the ship back into realspace. Due to the sheer backlash, it caused a temporal displacement anomaly and propelled the user into another universe. Has been applied once to a CMDR Evangeline Graves, though this was not by her choice, nor that she's part of the GAMER System's Beta.]
[Temporal Displacement Anomaly: An anomaly occurred during travel through Witchspace, causing the ship to shift into another universe due to the anomaly affecting the FSD's calculations.]
[…...]
Huh, so she really exists. And I guess I'm not surprised that you know of her.
Indeed. Though the end of her story remains to be seen, as you would know, CMDR.
Well, given that the author hadn't updated for a while now, I suppose… Which is a shame, really. I liked the story. Pretty intuitive and coherent. Well, I've already made my pick on the transition setting. What's left, System?
[Given that the user has decided to bring along whatever effects the user has, it has been decided that the System will skip on offering the user to create their avatar.]
Well, I'm not planning to become an Asari, Salarian, Krogan or Turian anytime soon. I'd like to remain Human thank you very much, so yeah, good call. I'm already satisfied enough with my current body. Though… System, could you adjust my body height to 180 cm? Just to be accurate.
User request granted. Upon return to reality, user's body will be 180 cm in height.
Thanks. So… I guess this is it?
Indeed, CMDR. You will be returned to your private cabin within your ship once you've confirmed the details that will be laid out before you.
Well, I suppose I'll hope for a great cooperation in the future then?
You may, CMDR.
Welp. To the future then. Show me the goods.
[ Status Window ]
[Name: Josua ]
[Title: CMDR ]
[Class: Pilot ] (Rank: Expert) (9%)
[Race: Human ]
[Level: 1 ]
[EXP: 0/1000 ]
[HP: 120 ] (HP = VIT x 10, Regen: 20/min)
[MP: 100 ] (MP = INT x 10, Regen: 20/min)
[ Character Stats ]
[Strength (STR): 12 ]
[Dexterity (DEX):7 ]
[Perception (PER): 10 ]
[Vitality (VIT): 10 ]
[Intelligence (INT): 12 ]
[Wisdom (WIS): 10 ]
[Charisma (CHA): 10 ]
[Luck (LUK): 7 ]
[Stats Point: 0 ]
[ Skills (Passive) ]
[Gamer Body – Lvl: MAX]
[Gamer Mind – Lvl: MAX]
[Pilot Training – Lvl: MAX]
[Weapon Mastery – Lvl: 5 (0%)]
[Novice CQC – Lvl: 3 (0%)]
[ Skills (Active) ] (New)
[Observe – Lvl: 1 (0%) ] (New)
[Sprint – Lvl: 1 (0%) ] (New)
[The Zone – Lvl: 1 (0%) ] (New)
[World Shifter – Lvl: 3 (0%) ]
[Cash: CR 133,774,033]
So, if I'm inferring correctly, my class is a Pilot. I suppose that's got to do with my job pretty much in the E:D verse. Being Expert ranked is a bit awkward, really. Not so much the rank in it of itself, but the realization of the position of the rank in the overall ranking for Combat. It's quite literally the middle of it all, between the first four and the latter four. The former referring to ranks of Harmless, Mostly Harmless, Novice, and Competent. As for the latter, it refers to Master, Dangerous, Deadly, and Elite.
Of course, above Elite there's still Elite I to V, courtesy of Odyssey. And in some instances, rank doesn't necessarily reflect the skills that a Pilot might have, so there's that. Eh, it is what it is, I guess…
I guess I still inherit my average agility, or rather, less than I'd like to be agility. Active skills being level 1, I suppose the way to raise their level is pretty much what I think it'll be: grind them by using them if I remember correctly.
You would be correct, CMDR.
Nice. Hmm…
Strength affects my body's physical strength, check. Dexterity means how deft I am with shit, in which I'm somewhat better than the average schmuck, but still, not my best trait even in the real world. I've already said the thing about Agility, so let's move on to the others. Intelligence… I guess it accounts for the sheer willingness I would go to study and master in terms of knowledge.
Wisdom refers to well… The fact that I was forced to wise up since I was young, and even more so when I got transitioned into the E:D verse. Charisma is self-explanatory, since I guess even though I'm not exactly a people's person, I suppose I do listen to them from time to time and in doing so, gain their loyalty because of my attentiveness, I guess. Heh, quite surprising, but perhaps not. I dunno.
Lucky number seven. Pretty high, but not that high. God's grace is still on me kek.
As for the regen rate for my HP and MP… Wait, I got MP? Hmm… For later, maybe? Putting that aside for now, though… If I'm correct, then WIS should affect my MP in regen rate. So… It should be WIS x 2? Yep, sounds about right. The formula seems to also apply to HP but change the WIS with VIT.
+1 WIS for deducing the regen formula.
Gamer's Body and Mind are standard, I guess? Of the kind you'd expect after reading from the Webtoon. The body allows for it to be more like game characters, as in your typical debilitating injuries would be more like debuffs rather than actual impediment. The mind essentially keeps the person calm and think properly, while also making one immune to psychological status effects (or depending on who you ask, resistance).
Pilot Training? It being at max levelled is something that's super nice, since it is despite me still being at the Expert rank. It's basically allowing me to pilot almost anything, really.
Weapon Mastery being only lvl 5 is a given, I guess, since I spent most of my time raising my rank in the Fed's Navy Auxiliary to Admiral and getting the creds to buy the ships that I wanted. It's not something I want to repeat. And if you still haven't deduced it, Weapon Mastery helps in better handling and maintenance of weapons.
Meanwhile, Novice CQC being level 10 is probably because I took Taekwondo and only got up to the Green-Blue Belt, back in the real world, or I guess I should call I the PRIME verse, since it's pretty much the origin of the entire multiverse.
Observe and Sprint, I guess, are easily deducible. Sprint means I can run faster than normal. Observe is pretty much as I know of it from the Webtoon, as in it provides info on the designated target, be it people, animal, or object. Though, about sprint… I do hope I can get to SPARTAN speeds when it's at 100, or at least be the next advancement for the skill. Kek.
The Zone? Wait… What's that?
[The Zone – Lvl: 1 (0%) ] (Active) (0%)
Allows user to increase their reaction speed up to 50% beyond their physical limit (100 + 50%) through induction of mana into the neurons within the human body, increasing the speed of the transmission of electrochemical signals between neurons, allowing for shorter reaction time. Consumes 50 MP, Lasts for 5 Seconds. Overuse might lead to aneurism.
Huh. There's actually a risky skill. I guess it's like when you're so focused that the perception of time slows down for you. I think I get the idea… Hmm... The name somewhat sounds familiar though...
Wait… World Shifter? What's that?
[World Shifter – Lvl: 3 (0%)] (Active)
Allows user to shift between current world and their world of origin. However, user's stats will differ between the current world and their origin world. This is due to the difference in the user's physique. Time stops in the other world when active in current world, thus not affecting user's sleep cycle by too much of a margin. Cost 0 MP. Usable only when about to sleep.
Oh… So, THIS is why it felt weird all those times before… I guess now I know why. Still, it's nice that it won't affect my sleep cycle. God, I'd need a good sleep back in "reality". But level 3? Hm… Looking forward for when it gets to max level.
Well, I suppose with them out of the way, next one.
Certainly, CMDR.
[Category: Games]
[Genre: Science Fiction/Sci-Fi]
[Series: Mass Effect]
[Setting: Canon]
[Timeline: Before the First Contact War, circa 2125 CE]
Yep, that's confirmed earlier. Let's get to the rewards.
[Reward 1: Faction & Territory Management Feature Unlock. Allows for additional functions for the game system with elements from the 4X genre. Immediate access to available tech known by the end of the beta from the user's beta universe. Beta Period Universe: Elite: Dangerous. Tech tree is available for viewing. (+ Drop down to view.)]
[Reward 2: Complete Technology Database from up to two verse(s) of the user's choosing. List of available verse(s) is limited to preserve the balance in the new verse. Selected verse(s): Halo and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (CoD: AW).]
[Reward 3: 1 instant-build Base of Operations, with complementary basic facilities and the form of the base being of the user's choosing. Upon selection, it will immediately be placed inside the inventory and is available for immediate usage. Note: Must not be in a star system with a Mass Relay to protect the canon timeline progression. Base Form: The player's Starbase from Infinite Lagrange (Includes pre-built facilities for the first zone's upgrades, also adjusted to accommodate differing ship styles. Resources for constructions and upgrades will be adjusted to match with the destination verse).]
What's Infinite Lagrange, you ask? It's a mobile game from NetEase. The ships in that verse lacks shielding and fast FTL. But in exchange, players can control a giant Space Station as their base, or a Starbase as it is properly called as, and can expand (and upgrade) with harvested resources. The annoying things about it are the "Operations" aspect since you're typically limited to 10 at most, and the Fleet Command limit within a fleet up to 300 Ship Cost. Talk about very limiting, sheesh.
I'd been playing the game for some time before this. So yeah, it gave me quite the thought when this happened. And with that set…
System, please set the arrival point to be the Epsilon Eridani system. Bleh, saying system twice despite the different context is redundant, but still, it'll be awkward AF to call the system by anything other than System. No offence, Tavish. You do you, I do me.
User request accepted. Transition destination set to the "Epsilon Eridani system".
Selected transition setting: Temporal Displacement Anomaly.
Warning: User must exercise caution, since the destination is close to the Sol System.
I know, I know. I have a plan, don't worry.
Just a bit more, Commander. Don't get impatient now.
Fine. What I'm missing here?
Check the perks list, Commander.
Ah, yeah. Almost forgot about this one. "Perks."
The screen changed into the aforementioned window, with the list showing the ones that I have at the moment. I have no doubt that it'll increase over time, most likely through gacha or something like that. It'll be expensive, if any of the Gamer fanfics were anything to go by. But, with the cash at hand, which I presume it'll be transferred unto me, it should last a while.
[ Perks ]
[Cold-blooded] – You've seen much. Being exposed to war at a relatively young age, even if it was for a short moment, affirmed the initial desensitization you had towards the sight of the dead and war. Significantly lowers empathy for the deceased during and after combat. Only a slight decrease in empathy for loss of allies in combat.
[Big Brain Moves] – You've learned much strategy from all those hours in RTS and other strategy games that you could predict several next steps that the enemy would take. Negates enemy advantage in combat if they possess any.
[Simulated Discipline] – Turns out that years of gaming does program certain skillsets from the game into you, aside from just button mashing. And they say gaming is an utter waste of time. HAH! Allows you to exert certain disciplines during combat or operations or such, giving you more flexibility during combat and more options.
[In the Zone] – Remember the feeling when you're just so focused on something, that you felt time slowed down while your mind is on a whirlwind in speed? Yeah, it's the rumored "Aha!" moment, or as the cool kids of the Miracle Generation calls it, "The Zone". Grants +50% EXP when raising a class and/or skill level at a time. Does not apply to multiple skill leveling. Grants the active skill [The Zone].
[God Bless You] – You were a devout believer of The Almighty GOD and The Holy Trinity since your childhood. Even after you've deviated from His teachings to the point of abandoning Him of your own accord, your heart never gave up believing, even when your mind screams at the suffering and insanity of life.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10. Grants 50% Chance of 7x LUK.
[Poker Face] – As it says, you can keep your face from expressing emotions, most of the time. Allows user to maintain a neutral look on their face.
Heh. Seems like my broken mind got translated as well. I suppose it is what it is.
I won't question your potentially scandalous and quite frankly appalling behavior, Commander. My lips are sealed.
You're not gonna let this go, are you?
I won't, Commander.
Welp. Ahem.
Well then, I think we're done…?
Not yet, Commander. There's still the Traits list.
Oh. How's that different to Perks?
Perks are something that can be obtained through items, training, or leveling up. Traits, in the meantime, is something that's originally from within them, relating to their nature as a person, or in other words, their sense of self. The conditions to obtain Traits are rather vague, so there's not telling if one will get a certain Trait or not. Even then, it's ludicrously harder to get a new Trait through sheer hard work, be it in training or leveling up, because it relates to the person themself. Only after certain conditions and/or circumstances are fulfilled that one would be able to gain a new Trait. And compared to Perks, some Traits can be detrimental or have some negative effects, in combination with their positive ones.
Ho... That so? Okay then, let's see what my traits are. "Traits!"
[ Traits ]
[Caring Leader] – You command the loyalty of your comrades and crew because of your attentiveness to them, giving them your time to hear them out and help whenever you can. Significantly lowers the chances for them to defect/betray you and keep their loyalty level from dipping below a certain point.
[Jack of All Trades, Yorozuya!] – Due to being a gamer for almost your entire life, you learn to multitask and be adept at a lot of things, even including school subjects. Don't forget to drink your Strawberry Milk! AND WATCH YOUR BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS! Grants additional +1 Stat Point to every Character Stats, aside from LUK automatically when leveling up.
[A Cultured, yet Depraved Man] – You're more than willing to commit quite the depraved stuff in the sexual kind. Think of those schmentai, as our Lord and Savior Nuxanor would call it! But still, you have standards, so you don't really go beyond a very thin line you've set for yourself: No Children and Grannies. Also, No Homo. You're not averse to questionable actions that involves sexual matters, though the option to turn back without consequences remains. More vulnerable to sexual advances/urges.
User "CMDR Josua" has completed the procedure. The GAMER system has been implemented into the user and completed assimilation.
Beginning transition procedure. Selected transition setting: Temporal Displacement Anomaly.
Good luck, Commander.
I closed my eyes as the prompt disappeared. I could feel the surroundings changing into something that I'm more than familiar with. As my eyes fluttered open, I found myself inside my ship once more. The familiar sight helps more than you'd might think. My second home for the past six years… I can't believe it, but I'm glad to be back on this floating steel in space.
CE 2125.01.01 / AD 2022.01.01 (ME/Real World)
?, Epsilon Eridani System
I look at myself for a moment. I found myself to be in my Maverick suit. It has been my go-to suit, even when I'm not planning to go for any ground missions. It's quite versatile and guarantees my chances of surviving better than Remlok's goddamned Flight suit. Not to discredit it too much, since it does what it says it does, but frankly, it's almost papier-mâché when compared to the Maverick.
Walking through the interior of the ship, along with the help of the conveyor handles on the walls inside, I proceeded apace, spending a minute or so to reach the cockpit. Huh, my choice of words is getting formal AF, or archaic. Well, it depends on who you ask. I blame FFXIV for that, or rather, me writing the fanfic.
Sitting down on the pilot's chair, I looked out of the cockpit. Seems like I'm in the Epsilon Eridani system, and in real space. Welp, at least we're not near the damn sun. First things first, need to go into Supercruise. Engines, full throttle. FSD, charge up.
"Frame Shift Drive charging…" The familiar voice of the female cockpit voice assistant, or COVAS, rang in my helmet.
After several seconds, the charging bar quickly filled as it was replaced with a countdown.
"5…4…3…2…1…Engage." Verity's voice notified me as we went into Supercruise.
Anyways, time to scan the system. My hands turned into a whirl, as I maneuvered my ship a bit away from the sun, and my vision changed into the suite of the Full Spectrum Scanner as it was activated by me. Grids were shown as I activated the scanner's pulse, scanning the entire star system. Within several seconds, it was completed, and the familiar faint signals were shown on the bottom of the suite's HUD. Changing the frequency of the signals, I began scanning the specific signals that represents the celestial bodies within the star system.
Frankly, it was numbing in doing it, since it's almost a second nature for me. Every time I arrive at a new system, I immediately scanned the entire system, making sure that it's not a system I've been, since if it's a new one, then it'll be worth the credits that I could get, no matter how small it was. And the data that I've gathered up to this point are quite precious, especially in this situation, so yeah.
Or simply put, it's part of the Three S (3S): Shift in, Scan, Shift out. Shift in is basically jumping into the system. Scan is as I've stated previously. Shift out refers to either go out of the system, or just supercruise and/or shift back into real space and do whatever business you got there. You can ask Evangeline (or read her story in Hyperion), though I think her jargon is a bit different than mine in name. This one's a bit of my own jargon, kek, though the principle's the same.
Okay, back to reality. Ahem.
Without realizing it, I've completely scanned the system and the celestial bodies in it. Wow. I'm just that autonomous at this point, so much so that I think I'll probably do it without even thinking about it. Welp.
"System scan completed." Verity's voice rang again.
Just as I'm about to check the data, an alert rang from her again.
"Warning, discrepancy found in old data. Updating database with latest findings." Her voice notified me of the nature of the system.
"Verity, separate new star chart database with the old one." I immediately intervened.
There was no telling on how that would go if I needed the old star charts.
"Understood, Commander." She responded. "Categorizing new updates into new database."
Huh, let's see what's the fuss is about…
Epsilon Eridani System (Updated)
:: Epsilon Eridani (K-class Star, Yellow - Orange)
:: Epsilon Eridani a Belt (metal rich)
:: Epsilon Eridani I (Rocky Body, Landable)
:: Epsilon Eridani b Belt (New)
:: Epsilon Eridani II (Earth-like World, Potentially Colonizable)
:: Epsilon Eridani IIa (New)
:: Epsilon Eridani IIb (New)
:: Epsilon Eridani III (Rocky Body, Landable)
: Epsilon Eridani IIIa (New)
:: Epsilon Eridani IV (Class I gas giant)
:: Oort Cloud (New)
Yep, seems like the system is a mix between real life, E:D, and Halo. And if I'm correct, then Eridani II is Reach in the Halo-verse and New California in E:D-verse. Well, Ferb, I know where we're gonna go today!
New Quest Received!
Hmm? Seems like there's a notification or something. Eh, gotta go there first.
Supercruise, 75% speed! Target: Epsilon Eridani II, or as I'd call it in honor of the fallen fortress of Humanity in the Sea of Stars, Reach! Let's go!
Travelling from near the sun to the second planet took only a few dozen seconds. Soon, I arrived just a distance away from the planet's orbit. Coming out into real space, I made sure to zero out my ship's speed. Now, back to that notif earlier…
System, display new quest!
[Quest: A New Beginning]
[You've been sent to a whole other universe. The first, most essential step in surviving in this new reality is to have a base. Build one, either with materials harvested from the local area, or using a prefab item.]
[Task: Build a base (0/1)]
[Rewards: Unlock "Gacha Store", 30x Free Gacha Pulls, Companion Summon Token: ?]
Umm… A Companion Summon Token? is it for what I think it is?
A Companion Summon Token is used to summon a designated character from a certain universe. Depending on their status in the Origin-verse, they might be picked from a timeline further beyond the active storyline of their series in the Origin-verse, or outright a bit after their series ended.
So... Who's gonna be summoned from this quest's token reward?
User must first complete the quest to see.
Oooookay… You're not saying anything?
Yes.
Welp...
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Are you... Fucking hell...
Ugh.
Let's just get on with this. I'll deal with it when the time comes.
Inventory.
I took out the instant pre-built base. It resembled like a crystalline object, with its center having an object that resembled something like a Space Station of sorts. Now that I got a better look at it, it looks like those Engrams from Destiny. Welp, at least I don't gotta deal with Rahool and his shitty RNG rate for this one.
After I had it on my hand, I tapped the prompt that appeared with the following words.
Would you like to use the item?
[Yes] [No]
The choice was obvious enough, so "Yes" indeed. The crystalline structure that enveloped the item within then dissolved, before revealing the item. Said item, however, floated for one moment before it disappeared.
The view in front of me then was overlayed with another screen, with grids and orbital placement of the celestial bodies, though this one is specifically showing the orbit of Eridanus II and its two moons. The top of the screen had the text "Territory Management" on it. And in the "map", the transparent form of the base-to-be could be seen, with four cardinal arrows pointing the four respective directions that the base could move to in direction.
Please select the location for the base via dragging the base icon.
I dragged the icon with my finger, and placed it directly in the L1 orbit, making it being between the planet and the first moon. Then, the cross and checkmark icons appeared below the base icon. It's pretty much self-explanatory, so of course I tapped the checkmark icon.
Base location confirmed. Exiting Territory Management interface.
Commencing base construction. It will be completed shortly.
An alarm began to blare within my helmet as the sensors detected a gravity anomaly. As the interface disappeared from my view, I looked to the view in front of me as I saw everything unfold.
"Warning, detecting gravitational waves from the orbit of the planet." Verity's voice said.
A distortion that was visible to the naked eye manifested on the L1 Orbit of the planet. I grinned like an idiot as my base-to-be slowly emerging from the distortion. Calling it emerging is a bit of a mistranslation, as it technically was being built at such a speed that it was appearing from the distortion as if it was manifesting.
The station was massive, with a roughly 1.6-kilometer terminal that extends to the southwest (SW) of the base and one "prong" of port that's 1.7 kilometer in length. Another terminal, same in size, could be seen extending from the base to the northeast (NE), with another prong of port in similar length of the previous prong. If I recall correctly, the SW terminal is for the military ships, while the NE terminal is for utility ships, in Infinite Lagrange (IL), that is. The architecture design looks extremely foreign, yet strangely human enough to feel familiar in the weirdest way.
For this verse, I think the roles will get tweaked. Also, on the base, there was a single shipyard, if I remember from IL. The first shipyard was designated for Frigates and Small Utility Ships from that game, but it can be used to build larger classes of capital ships and utility ships.
I think the number can be expanded with an additional of four more shipyards, with two being normal shipyards, one for aircrafts (it's called the Aircraft Assembly Line), and one for "super" capital ships (i.e., Cruiser class and above). But that would require me to get the base to the 7th expansion zone to get the Super Capital shipyard, with the addition of the required dockyard for the respective classes (i.e., Frigate, Destroyer, etc.).
So yeah, you get the point. Also, you need the blueprints for those ships to even be able to build them in the first place. Thankfully, I got at least two universes' worth of blueprints, so I at least got that covered (Advanced Warfare only had airships that's probably more like for sub-orbital ops, so yeah, no outer space ops for them ships). And that's not even including the possible designs that might come into fruition once whoever I got as the reward for building the base researched and understand the tech trees and blueprints enough to spring up new designs.
Checking the one remaining part of the base that I've left for last, the Fleet Operations Command is probably where I'd end up spend most of my time up here, which also applies to whoever I'll get as a reward from that quest.
Overall, the base looks like how I remember it, albeit having alterations to it that makes it more…believable, if I can say it. Welp, I guess the quest is completed then.
Quest Completed.
[Quest: A New Beginning – Completed]
[You've been sent to a whole other universe. The first, most essential step in surviving in this new reality is to have a base. Build one, either with materials harvested from the local area, or using a prefab item.]
[Task: Build a base (1/1)]
[Rewards: Unlock "Gacha Store", 30x Free Gacha Pulls, Companion Summon Token: ?]
Rewards received.
"Gacha Store" feature has been unlocked. Check the "Store" window for usage and more info.
30x Free Gacha Pulls has been delivered to your inventory.
Companion Summon Token: ? has been delivered to your inventory.
What's with the "?", system? It's not helping.
I believe the saying "Surprise comes from defying expectations" is apt for this occasion, Commander.
Ha. Ha. I like certainty, thank you very much. Though surprise ARE welcome, albeit every once in a while. But… Very well. You are wont to play this game, and nothing I say will sway you.
Moving on…
Much to my own chagrin, now I have to guess who it is that I got.
Eh, let's just see for ourselves. Inventory.
I pulled the Companion Summon Token out of the inventory window. Holding it in my hand, now I can see it. Welp, time to use [Observe] on it and see who I'm going to get.
Uh…
[Companion Summon Token: APEX-17 D19M45]
UH?
Huh. I feel like I've heard of the name, but where did I hear it from?
Beginning Summoning Procedure.
Meh, fuck it. Let's just get on with it...
Detecting Summon Target…Found: APEX-17 D19M45.
Commencing Summoning.
I felt my mind going into a damned whirl. The notifications appearing only lasted for a few seconds before a new one appears. All the while, a pillar of light appeared in front of me, forcing me to shield my vision as it was too bright for my eyes. By the time I snapped back to reality, there it was, standing in front of me.
Now that my eyes aren't blinded, I can take a proper look at who I got to summon.
Hm? Wait a minute, isn't she...?
Oh.
OH.
I had my realization but given that she seemed to be still in some sort of standby mode, I approached her. But just as I was two steps away from her, a prompt appeared in front of my view.
Would you like to go with the Default settings, or use custom settings for her?
[Default] [Custom]
For obvious reasons, I'll choose custom. In case you still don't know, she's DEMI, the AI android from Subverse. As to the reason why I chose custom settings for her...
Well...
To put it mildly, she's not exactly subtle in Subverse. Well, pretty much a lot of the waifus there aren't, but given her capability and role, I need more subtlety from her, really. Can't have her suddenly wanting to give me a blowjob or offering a quick sesh while I'm trying to save the galaxy, now do I?
Custom Settings picked.
Please choose the parameters.
Name: APEX-17 D19M45 / DEMI [Edit]
Personality Matrix: [Drop Down to view/change]
Memory Matrix: [Drop Down to view/change]
Hair Appearance: [Drop Down to view/change]
Bust Size: [Drop Down to view/change]
Optics Iris Color: [Drop Down to view/change]
Body Light Color: [Drop Down to view/change]
...
There's a WHOLE lot settings here, but most of them are just techno-babbles, while a few I recognize easily. For now, I'll keep most on Default, but let's change her Memory Matrix...
Memory Matrix:
[Default] [Factory Setting]
Uh, what's the difference between these? Care to explain, System?
Default would have her retain her memories by the start of the game.
Meanwhile, Factory Setting would remove the modifications to her Memory Matrix, reverting her to the original one that she had before Tibold got her.
Well... This is a bit tricky, but... Can I choose to backup the Default matrix, in case I want her to be able to access it when I order her to?
...it can be arranged.
Good. Then, Factory Setting as the Main one, while backup the Default Matrix. I'll probably have it used when I'm planning to deal with certain...targets. Will need that knowledge, so yeah.
Change(s) have been applied.
Do you want to change anything else?
Okay… The rest can be kept as is. I'm not too keen on modifying too much of her, but just enough so that it won't be awkward here. Let's just choose Apply Settings.
Custom Settings have been saved and applied.
Standby for boot...
Booting up...
And just like that, we're done! I sighed in relief, as I saw her straightening herself up, the lights traveling up and down much of the lines on her body before she opened her eyes.
"APEX-17 D19M45, Designation: DEMI." She monotonously said. "Ready for orders, Captain."
"Good." I nodded. "But call me Commander in public. You can call me by my name, Josua, in private."
"Understood, Commander." She gave a nod. "Any further orders?"
"Can you connect to the ship's mainframe and update your Memory Matrix?" I ask. "We'll need to have you up to speed with the basic conventions and stuff."
"Okay, Commander." She nods, this time she noticed my inflections and stopped having those monotonous tone.
A smirk crept on my face, feeling a bit happy that her Adaptive Language Learning matrix worked like it did. I gestured her to sit down, as I wanted to get us into the station ASAP. And with her now on the other seat, I can breathe easier.
Next up... Go to Contacts, select the station, set speed to zero, request docking permission, activate auto-docking protocols, aaaaaaand…done. Jesus, take the wheel! Heh, something like that.
"Docking request approved. Proceed to the designated landing pad." The computerized voice from the station said. "Cleared for automated approach vectoring."
Oh, yeah, almost forgot to mention on why that automated docking could even work. Apparently, there's an automated docking procedure aboard the station as well since it's currently unmanned. So, it'll accept the docking request and directs to the correct landing pad that's located within the Hangar for Corvette-class ships and lower.
The ship lurched forward as the program took over, entering the rather sizeable hangar and got the ship to prepare for landing at the highlighted large (L) landing pad. Going at a constant speed before stopping and switching to vertical thrusters to lower the ship was smooth AF. Never understate that, especially for docking software(s). Don't skimp on them if you can. They're a lifesaver.
"Landing gear deployed." Verity's voice sounded as the ship began to lower its altitude.
Within a hundred meters, the ship's HUD hologram changed to show the ship's altitude and alignment of the landing location, which is a standard thing that applies to automated or manual landing of the ship. I could feel the ship was mere moments from landing on the large landing pad. I could hear the thud of the landing gears locking onto the metal landing pad as the ship successfully landed.
"Touchdown. Systems offline." Verity's voice could be heard.
Good. Time to disembark. I breathed after I had the helmet off me.
"Commander, I've successfully updated my database." DEMI notified me, with what I can assume as an eyebrow being raised if she had one. "But it says that I'm supposedly from a pornographic game. Could you please elaborate?"
Good, she's not one of those "yes man" type of AIs. Nice.
"You were." I nodded as I gave a short explanation. "Think of it like this: You're now part of the greater Multiverse in the infinite universes that exist that I personally call as the Omniverse. You're different compared to who you were in the universe you came from. Thus, it's irrelevant whether your existence is fictional or not, given that you are here in the present, thereby proving that you're a real thing."
She seemed to pause for a bit, before giving me a nod. "I understand, Commander. Cataloguing information into Memory Matrix."
"Anyways, with those out of the way…" I gestured her to follow me into the tram. "Shall we?"
I almost had a heart attack when she took my hand as I offered it to her, and she smiled. God, that was the sweetest smile I've seen yet. And I have a nagging feeling that it'll be a frequent thing in the future.
Through user's action(s), a new skill has been created.
The skill Intuition has been created and added to the Skills list.
[Intuition – Lvl: 1 (0%)] (Passive)
Having been honed through numerous encounters in life, the user has finally learned to feel the flow of where things will lead to, even if it was on a subconscious level.
BECAUSE OF COURSE THIS WOULD HAPPEN! WHY IN THE FLYING FUCK NOT!?