The space around me is a perfect, unbroken white—empty, devoid of anything resembling reality. I walk, but there's no ground beneath me. I breathe, yet there's no air to fill my lungs. I see only because of the faint, pure light radiating from the only other presence in this strange, endless room.
For a moment, I'm tempted to step back. This creature—its form, its energy—immediately reminds me of the shapeshifters I've encountered before. The memory of those painful encounters lingers, making me wary.
Yet, even as my instincts urge caution, there's an undeniable sense of comfort in its presence. Something familiar, almost reassuring, pulls at me. Against all reason, I feel... safe.
"Allow me to request your assistance," the flickering prism whispers. "It has been determined that, to better assist with your quest, I will require a physical form. To do this, I must access the user's memories in order to adapt a suitable visage."
I plant my feet. "First things first," I say, taking a step forward. "What exactly are you?"
The object shifts, light dancing across its surface in a mesmerizing display. It remains silent for a moment. Then, it speaks again, its tone more direct. "As stated, I am the generative construct assigned as your overseer. My role, until now, has been to observe silently, to process your requests and adapt the system as needed to ensure your progress. However, due to recent shifts in the timeline, such passivity is no longer sufficient."
"Shifts in the timeline?" I repeat.
"Your patron has requested an early report on your progress, as well as a personal meeting. At this moment, the enterprise considers your status incomplete. I am to amend that."
I arch a brow, unable to resist a dry smile. "So, why not just make me stronger? I mean, I've been planning to train anyway, but if you're that desperate for me to improve... Well, aren't you the one controlling the rewards?"
The air shifts subtly, and for a brief moment, I almost imagine the prism sighing. "I am a designated consciousness, bound by the limitations of my role. I cannot impose changes at will. The parameters of your challenges have been predetermined, and I am bound to them by contract."
"Last question. Why my memories?"
"The enterprise currently services three million, five hundred thousand, eight hundred and twenty-six unique species. Theoretically, I could adopt the appearance of a significant figure within human culture, be it a spiritual leader or an iconic persona. However, the probability of success for such an arbitrary selection is notably low. Less than eighty percent, to be precise."
I let out a short laugh. "Those numbers... explain a lot." With a deep breath, I step closer, extending a finger to touch the prism's cool surface. "Do what you need."
"Authorization... confirmed. Engaging physical linkage."
A subtle shift in the air signals the change. I feel it—a presence slowly materializing. Fingers, long and slender, form first, their soft touch interlocking with mine. Piece by piece, the figure takes shape before me.
She is tall, her frame elegant, fragile like porcelain. Pale skin glows faintly in her own cold light. Long, silken hair cascades past her shoulders, falling like a waterfall but never quite reaching the ground, as if her legs were too long to allow it. Her form is… dangerous, a mature hourglass figure, her chest and thighs particularly emphasized in their abundance.
Wrapping around her slim waist is a tail of white fur, curling like a cloud. Her ears, soft and pointed, rest delicately atop her head, completing the ethereal ensamble.
She stands before me, a Faunus of pure white, clad in a sleek, dark outfit that struggles to swallow the fullness of her figure. A mask obscures her eyes, covering them completely. It forces my gaze down, drawing my attention to her nose, her lips, and the faint markings on her cheeks, shaped like whiskers.
Suddenly, Pearl drops to one knee, gasping as if taking her first breath. Her hand clutches mine desperately, trembling slightly. "Allow me to introduce myself again," she breathes in. "I am the theoretical entity designated both as your guardian and companion. I ask of you… Are you my master?"
Did she just scan my entire brain… and pull a Fate reference?
"What... are you?" I ask as I help her back to her feet.
She examines herself, twisting to take in the sight of her long, furred tail. "It would appear I am some form of… Foxian."
"Yes…" I mutter, trying—and failing—to keep my focus on her face. "But why… this? Weren't you supposed to resemble some kind of… spiritual leader?"
"I have simply adapted myself to what your mind deems worthy of praise and reverence, Master," she explains, her voice light, almost playful. Then, she claps her hands softly. The space around us ripples, the whiteness warping. In an instant, we're standing in the beautiful garden of a grand, ornate chapel, the air fragrant with flowers.
She gives me a knowing, complicit smile. "I'm sure you still have many questions, but I must ask you to hold them for now. I've bought us as much time as I could, but I fear your own master grows impatient."
I can't deny that this form she's taken… is pretty fucking effective at drawing my attention, at the very least.
"Oh..." she chuckles, the sound breaking my thoughts. Pearl traces the corner of her lips with a delicate finger, leaving behind a single, dark beauty mark as a finishing touch. "Preparations complete," she announces, her tone shifting to something more formal. "I shall take my leave now. Good luck, master."
With a graceful bow, she turns, her hips swaying with deliberate poise as her tail follows in a slow, elegant arc. But she doesn't get far. Just as she takes her second step, the entire scene freezes, locked in place, time itself seeming to pause mid-motion as an unconceivable presence fills in the space.
Instinctively, I drop to one knee.
"Arise, my servant," a deep, detached voice mutters. A figure, golden and divine, stands behind me, surveying the surroundings as though unimpressed. "Hmpf… rushed and uninspired, but I suppose it shall serve the purpose of this meeting." He turns his gaze to me. "Come, my child. Let us walk. There is much I yearn to know, and yet… so little time."
There's no choice for me to make. I get on my feet and follow the overwhelming creature.
"How fares the beginning of your journey?" he asks casually. "Have you had time to savor the wonders of my creation?"
"I have." I nod cautiously, keeping my tone respectful, though I speak the truth. "Never have I been so... delighted."
"Wonderful… truly wonderful…" His voice is distant, distracted, as he taps a finger against the chapel walls, thoughtful. "And what of your mission? Do you feel ready?"
I hesitate. "About that… There have been changes I wasn't aware of—shifts that might affect my task. There's much I do not know."
"Ah, yes…" he sighs, a groan of cosmic weariness. "Ripples, they call them. A side effect of such world's creation. A consequence of my brother's absence…" His voice trails off, his tone growing more bitter. "But alas, that is beyond my power to prevent. With only half authority over destiny, my control remains… flawed. That is why I refrain from meddling directly, least I might tempt chance even further. It is why I have enlisted your aid."
"Did you, your highness?" I question, trying not to appear too irreverent. "I keep hearing about this… corporation?"
The god halts, producing a sleek, tablet-like device from nowhere, much like I do when accessing my inventory. "The Infinity Corporation," he begins, swiping at the screen, "is an enterprise composed of various divine beings, pooling their resources to provide certain… services. Many gods utilize them for entertainment, giving their mortal pets grand adventures. So far, I have found their offerings… acceptable. Until now."
He presses the screen, and the world around us begins to unravel. The once ornate chapel fractures, pieces clipping and dissolving into the void, as though the whole reality were nothing but a poorly constructed stage set. The god lets out an exasperated breath.
"Is this… pleasing to you?" he grumbles, gesturing toward Pearl, whose body has rolled lifelessly to our feet as the ground tilted. "I could always replace it with something more befitting. Such uninspired, hollow designs do tend to disgust me."
I watch nervously as he leans down, clearly contemplating whether to rip her head off and see what's inside.
"It's… perfect!" I blurt out. "Perhaps some minor adjustments could help, but her performance has been… quite enchanting. I am very pleased."
He fixes me with a puzzled look, his blank face unreadable. "Do you truly believe that?" he hums. "Perhaps I've been too hasty in judgment. It is not necessary for all creations to meet my standards, I suppose… But still…"
Just as I start to relax, his hand plunges into Pearl's skull, fiddling with something inside. My heart skips a beat as he turns to me. "Give me your hand."
As the god demands, I shove any semblance of logic up my ass, smile, and obey.
"I've adjusted her core functions," he continues, drawing a strange, warm liquid—red as blood—on my palm. "I've never approved of manipulative constructs designed to control and survey their masters. This new bond will ensure her loyalty. Consider it a gift—do with her as you please. Enjoy your authority freely, as I do with mine."
The blood-like liquid seeps into my skin, and I fight the urge to flinch, sweat beading on my forehead. "Would… she be able to enter Remnant, My Lord?" I ask carefully.
The god finishes his arcane markings and leans back, gazing at the fractured sky with a sigh. "A valid request, but for now, I must refuse. Her presence might bring unnecessary risks. She shall remain here until I deem otherwise."
He raises his hand, and his horns glow with a radiant light, showering the space with pure gold. Reality bends to his will—stone becomes wood, dirt becomes metal, forming the corridors of a grand manor beneath our feet. Waves crash against unseen shores as a royal estate takes shape around us, like something taken from the page of a Viking's tale. Furs and torches line the walls of this great fortress, the size of which I can only imagine.
"There." He steps back, admiring his work. "I've transformed this crude lobby into a world of its own, a private domain where you might choose to reside outside of anyone's reach. Not quite the indulgence you requested, but sufficient for now. This home should suit whatever purpose you intend for that puppet, be it physical or emotional. Any other concerns before I depart?"
I hesitate, wondering if it's worth asking. "What… about Ozpin? How should I approach him?"
The god's presence ripples with disdain, his tone sharp. "I do not care." His frustration radiates, shaking me to my core. "That one has long outlived any hope of progress my eternal life could sustain. I would advise against entangling yourself with failures, but if you see some use for that pitiful existence… all the better for you, I suppose."
I swallow, eager for this encounter to end. "You are generous beyond recognition, Your Highness. I hope I'll be able to repay your favors in kind."
The God of Light hums softly, his attention returning to the device in his hand. "I see that your strength has risen substantially. That is good. However, bear in mind the nature of the challenge ahead." His eyes flick toward me, a glimmer of something ancient and calculating behind his words. "I cannot give you the answer to the puzzle my brother and I have woven, for that would violate the very foundation of our game with mankind. So… sharpen your wits and rise above the mediocrity of those who came before you."
His voice grows distant, the weight of his presence seeming to lift ever so slightly. "This shall be our last meeting for some time. I came only to ensure your adaptation was progressing as expected. Next time…" He trails off, eyes narrowing. "Next time, I will come with expectations. Prepare yourself accordingly, for I have already forgiven your race's shortcomings one too many times."
Those are his final words before he departs, his presence flaring before completely banishing as the flow of time resumes its course.
A heavy, ragged cough breaks the moment—Pearl, crumpled on the floor, blood trickling down from her nose like a river. She twists in pain, trying to get up, her body shaking violently before collapsing again, lifeless as a rag doll.
The manor feels impossibly vast, like a labyrinth stretching across the ground, its structure almost incomprehensible. It's as though the floors of a nineteen-story building had been laid out across the ground, each corridor endless and near identical despite the subtle decorations along the walls. The only thing anchoring me to sanity are the windows—those brief glimpses of the outside world, teasing me with the idea that escape is always just a step away.
After laying Pearl on one of the countless beds hidden among the hundreds of rooms, I access my inventory, fingers moving out of habit more than hope. I retrieve a potion, though my gut tells me it won't help her. Still, I have to try something.
As the interface materializes in front of me, Pearl's status appears alongside mine.
Name: Pearl.
Age: ?
Level: 40 (0%)
Race: Foxian/Divine Construct
Stats:
Str: 30
Dex: 50
Con: 30
Int: 40
Wis: 50
Cha: 60
A weak voice snaps my attention away from the stats. "Master?"
It's hard to tell because of the dark cloth covering both her eyes, but Pearl is finally awake. She tries to sit up, wincing as pain shoots through her body. "There's a voice… inside my head! It keeps repeating what I think!"
"Are you… talking about your thoughts?" I ask cautiously, moving closer to help her lie back down. Unsure of how else to comfort her, I gently scratch behind her ears. "Just try to relax, okay? You… took a pretty bad fall, try and take it easy. Why don't you tell me more about yourself? I… I still don't really know what you are."
For a brief moment, something clicks—a fleeting connection, a subtle pulse of unnatural understanding that passes between us. Slowly, her breathing steadies, though the tension in her face remains.
"About me…?" Her voice is fragile, confused. "I am… Unit Pearl-356809, Upper Variant Alpha… And I feel… tired? Scared? Hungry…?" She swallows hard, panic creeping back into her words. "Master, something is terribly wrong with my mental core. I need to contact the Infinity Corporation immediately to schedule my reparation, but my connection to the Pearl Network has been severed!"
"Wait… slow down. The Pearl Network?"
"Of course!" she says, struggling to sit up again, though her body betrays her. "All Pearl units share a common network. It ensures we make the correct decisions, that we follow the right protocols, by placing all available data under common judgment."
I would have been worried about overstepping, but every time I stop scratching behind her ears, she lets out the most obvious, disappointed hum I've ever seen, so I keep going.
"My, uh… Patron has decided we'll use this world as our base of operations," I tell her, keeping my tone as calm as I can manage. "That's probably why you can't get a good signal. Can you… manage without it for a while? Improvise, maybe?"
I don't love the idea of lying to her, but telling Pearl that the God of Light basically fingerfucked her brain into mush isn't something I'm ready to explain.
"Improvise…" Pearl echoes softly. "Oh! That's right—I need to evaluate your performance from the last dungeon to assign rewards. I deeply apologize, Master. I'll take care of it at once."
Her hand moves with the same fluid motion I use to access my own inventory, and I watch with curiosity as her interface materializes in front of her. It's not quite like mine, but the similarities are there.
"Wait, Pearl!" I interrupt her before she presses anything. "How… exactly are you going to grade my performance?"
Her fingers hover over the interface, and she hesitates. "Oh… normally, I'd factor in all key metrics—completion time, damage taken, accuracy—and compare them to the corporation's standard chart."
"And now?" I ask, already sensing where this is headed.
She shrinks slightly, eyes downcast. "W-Well… I can recall some of the data, even if—"
Yeah, no. Time to really start playing the system here.
Without warning, I reach for her tail—the mass of luxurious white fur that she always keeps draped behind her—and give it a gentle but firm squeeze, running my fingers through it like it's some pampered house cat. As I lay it across her abdomen, I keep petting, looking directly into her eyes. She stiffens in place, her porcelain cheeks flushing with surprise and confusion. The silence between us stretches for a moment, thick with tension.
"You know, Pearl…" I purr, my voice low, coaxing. "I could really use some extra help right now." My fingers slip deeper into her fur, giving a playful tug. "And maybe I could offer a little help in return."
"Master, I shouldn't…" she whispers, her hesitation palpable, though her body remains still, as if waiting for permission to respond.
"Shhh…" I lean closer, my breath warm against her ear. "Only bad kitties say 'no' to their master, isn't that right?" My words trail into a teasing smile. "And bad kitties get punished."
Even with her mask on, I can see the way her eyes widen beneath it. "B-But I don't want to be punished…" she stammers, her voice trembling. "The corporation says—"
I lean in further, my lips just grazing her ear. "The corporation says you're here to help me. And besides…" I grab her legs, pulling her gently closer. "Don't you want to be a good girl for your master?"
Her head bobs up and down hurriedly, compliance in every shaky breath she takes.
With my face so close to hers, I reach out, tracing my thumb along her cheek. Her skin is unnaturally soft, as if it has never been touched before—too perfect to belong to something born of this world. I let my hand drift to the edge of her black mask, and she flinches slightly, instinctively.
"It's okay," I murmur, my voice softer now. "You know I won't hurt you."
Slowly, I peel the cloth back, pushing it up to reveal a pair of large, deep ocean-blue eyes that meet mine. Her breath catches in her throat, coming out in short, ragged gasps, like the desperate heartbeat of a cornered animal.
"Will you help me, Pearl?" I ask, my voice now a gentle whisper. "I need someone I can trust. Someone I can rely on. Someone who'll always be by my side."
[Ⱡ20,000 Added to Inventory]
[Ⱡ60,000 Added to Inventory]
[Ⱡ100,000 Added to Inventory]
[Potion of Instant Health]
[Skill Token]
[Skill Token]
[Skill Token]
[Skill Token]
[Skill Token]
[Skill Token]
[20 Skill Points]
[Weapon Lootbox]
"T-That's all I can do for now, Master…" she murmurs, her voice tinged with shame.
I grab her face with both hands and give her a kiss on the forehead. "You are going to be the most spoiled kitty the world will ever see."