Kairon Planet - (2)
The words slipped out amid the stifling frustration filling my chest. A brief silence followed, then a will emanated from Naiserria's galaxy.
[If you ask how I view mortals... I fundamentally take the stance of an observer. They are beings who burn through their limited time to achieve something, then pass it on to their descendants.]
That wasn't what I was curious about. Should I ask in more detail?
[What are your thoughts on supporting mortals? Or intervening in their lives?]
[This humble one is too obtuse to understand. Forgive me, but if you could explain in a bit more detail...]
The dust—no, the galaxy—before my eyes trembled as if in fear. Before any needless misunderstanding arose, I transmitted information about a single galaxy existing in another dimension to her.
A place presumed to have been shaped by the intervention of a being equal to me. A world where gods and humans coexist under the names of constellations and avatars. A realm where intelligent beings battling space monsters hold galactic hegemony. Even gods ruling planets cannot defeat mortal empires, a space where divinities are defined and interpreted as planet spirits.
A longer silence stretched out than before. Then she sent her will to me.
[To think such a place exists... It must be impossible without overwhelming external force. Likely a galaxy intervened upon by a being equal to the Great One.]
[So. What do you think of that world? Speak your honest impressions.]
I waited for Naiserria's response. Unlike me, torn between the values of immortals and mortals, could she arrive at an answer?
[No matter what is done or how... I believe it cannot be judged.]
[Cannot be judged?]
[Yes. It appears as the prank of an immature divinity, yet beneath it lies the perspective of a distant absolute. It is not for one such as I to presume.]
I pondered her words for a moment. Like an adult human playing sincerely with ants, only to reveal themselves as a brilliant entomologist who favors ants above all insects? Or perhaps fear at turning a vast galaxy into a model garden?
Either way, I felt I could somewhat understand. Then... if so, then I too...
[If it would not offend the Great One, I too wish to create an avatar. It reminds me of long ago, when I first felt my own existence.]
[Do as you will. I have interest in that side as well.]
[Yes. Should you ever need me in that dimension, my Lord, call upon me at any time.]
With that, our conversation ended, and I turned my gaze to Yuna.
Customized training for particularly talented avatars. Ability measurement tests for that purpose continued, with all sorts of researchers and scientists studying constellations coming to observe her tests.
Cosmic Power, it seemed, had caused a bigger stir in this world than I'd imagined.
"Further research is needed on the Cosmic Power bestowed upon Avatar Yuna by the Whispering Star Cluster."
"It's practically an all-purpose power. Mental and physical enhancement. Increased durability. Regeneration. Flight. Energy projection. Super senses—it's a blend of countless abilities."
"It shows patterns akin to evolving into a superior species."
"An all-purpose power, but we need more checks on conflicts with other energies or its potential. If the constellation permits, at the Central Avatar Research Institute...!"
The constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, says to cut it out.
"Uh... The constellation says to cut it out..."
"...Ahem. Our apologies for the intrusion!"
The researchers' eyes gleamed slyly at this unprecedented special power—not internal energy, mana, or magic—but a single status message from the constellation quieted them down.
Still, since it wasn't overwhelmingly strong yet, only showing excessive stamina and muscle power kept the attention to this level. If she'd blown up a city or punched a hole in the sky right after contracting, it would've been the constellations, not people, swarming with interest.
"Trainee Yuna, please pack your belongings and move from Sector C-4 to Sector TH-84."
"Huh? Am I getting experimented on or something?"
"It's not an experiment. You're being separately classified considering your anomalous traits and uniqueness as a trainee."
And so Yuna began training as a special trainee, separated from the rest. There were quite a few avatars in similar situations. Ones whose bodies turned monstrous when using powers, those specialized in mental abilities but with childlike physical stats, avatars who could detect parasitic lifeforms by offering strange tributes, and so on.
Not every planet had constellations contracting avatars, but the galaxy was vast indeed.
"You can cause explosions from your whole body? There've been cases like yours among trainees. I'll teach you how to control it effectively."
"An ability to grow Eternium ore. If you're contracted with the Shattered Mountain..."
"The special mana from your constellation doesn't mesh with magic? I'll request the Imperial Federation's magic system data from upper command and send it over. Try them one by one; you'll find what suits you."
Avatars classified as special cases could carve their own paths amid vast data. Yuna's training regimen was set based on somewhat similar data too.
"The energy named in the message is Cosmic Power. Similar patterns to internal energy or mana. On the first day receiving power from the constellation, she couldn't control it and rampaged. Afterward, clear physical enhancements appeared, but she couldn't draw out the same level of power as that first day. That's settled."
"Huh?"
"From now on, Trainee Yuna's top priority is maximum control over that Cosmic Power."
Her training differed slightly from the others. Yuna, hooked up to all sorts of wires and machines, sat carefully in a chair and drew out her Cosmic Power. At the instructor's command to channel something specific, she infused faint power into targeted body parts.
> Physical force fluctuation detected near left thigh.
> Displaying precise values.
> Muscular endurance increase: 0.2 rotals.
> Bodily durability increase...
"Next, focus intangible energy on your left arm and draw it up."
It looked like she was strapped into an electric chair for torture, but the hologram displaying her bodily changes in detail per the instructor's orders was pretty fascinating. The trainee herself seemed dubious, though.
"Trainee Yuna! Draw up your power and resist the whispers in your mind! The emotions you're feeling now are altered and amplified by the parasitic lifeform!"
"Dieee!!!"
Among space monsters were those that parasitized human brains or souls. Thus, there were training processes to build resistance and countermeasures against such monsters. Yuna, having accepted a weakened mental entity monster into her head, was sparring with the instructor...
Thwack!
"Focus on mental anomalies, not physical prowess! Trainee!"
"Ugh... Uwaaaah!!!"
She was spouting nonsense while getting thoroughly thrashed by the frowning female instructor. Slack eyes. Limp body. Gaping mouth. Looked no different from being drunk.
The constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, is perplexed.
"Haa. Her mental side is definitely immature. But she seems to have some will to resist."
Yuna ended up passing out after the beating. The instructor, gloved hands sighing, approached the fallen girl.
The anomaly happened right then.
Yuna sprang up like a shot and punched at the instructor's gut. White light shimmered around her body, her fist tinged with cosmic hues.
"Guh!"
The instructor grimaced, blocking the surprise attack. Her wrist twisting showed it packed a punch.
"Heh... Hehehe. Finally landed one... Huh? Huh?! Wha?!"
Like a ghost exorcised, a translucent jellyfish-like monster bounced out from her head.
"...Back to your senses at last? Trainee Yuna?"
"Wh-wh-wh-whaaaat?!"
The constellation, Whispering Star Cluster, shakes its head.
Setting aside Yuna's flustered shame at her pathetic defeat, I grew intrigued by that mental entity monster.
Wars against monsters never end not just because of those overwhelming by sheer numbers or brute force, but because of swarms of special types like that.
"The trainee isn't properly using the power bestowed by the constellation. Given the total power inherent in her, that parasitic lifeform should've been instantly obliterated..."
Like a parent-teacher conference, the instructor even lectured me, Yuna's constellation, on her education policy.
She was getting thoroughly scolded like that, but according to the instructor, Yuna had considerable talent. Just needed proper whipping to avoid arrogance.
Tales abounded across the galaxy: talented, overconfident avatars enlisting in planetary pioneer forces and dying within a year; those killed by comrades they'd let mind-control due to carelessness.
Yet applicants to contract with constellations overflowed, solidifying the power imbalance.