Ethereal Paradigm: Arcadia of Darkness 57 A Novice Prodigy?

"Let us not forget the true definition of sacrifice. It's basically giving up something which is 'unnecessary' anymore... And life might as well fall in that category."

-Anonymous

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Come to think of it, the General Information data stated that overall, we have 333/333 Herrschers alive. That's a lot. I wonder how many are there in this Armada of 690 individuals?

"So, there's nothing left to discuss here right?" The morena girl yet again asked. Amadea nodding off as a sign of agreement.

"I'm out" The morena girl made her exit and faced the unknown laid in front of her, without any form of wavers. She is like Celes, in some ways, but the more aggressive type. Seeing her fled into the wilderness, one, two and then, dozens of people followed going different directions without even saying farewell. Judging by how they acted and how they confidently looked, I knew that some of them are Herrschers... otherwise, they would be showing some kind of hesitations to venture individually.

From their actions and based on what the morena girl said earlier, they might share the statistics together with the 333 Herrschers in the warfare...and I don't think that I'm alone in that thought. Everybody else became suspicious of her the moment she implicitly said that she is a Herrscher by asking that question that I held back inside of me for later. And as several others, knowing that there are no rooms for any more drivel, also followed her lead, but in opposing directions. I think that a stigma for us is gonna rise soon... But they're not that stupid to suddenly hate on us right? I hope so. After all, It was not our doing that brought them here, especially me.

So now, I have my Re: Characterization Completed without knowing how it worked. Convenient, but rather dull.

Oh right... Maybe I could let Shiro show me hers. Maybe I can understand how this Re: Characterization process works. And I don't want the processing delay from her to be a valid reason that any more lives on the other side are to be taken away.

"Shiro..." I called out as she was busy playing with the slimes...she then ran towards me and refreshingly smiled

"What is it? Oni Chama?"

"You now can have your magic, what do you want?"

"Magic? Like a fairy?"

"Yes! Even more than that, so first... can you say Re: Characterization for me?"

"Yes Oni Chama.... Le: Chalactelization"

And then, the system, as though understanding that the kid's l's and r's are jumbled showed her Persona Interface to me as I was granted permission to see it...At first, it looked like mine... It showed her profile, the general info, kill counts which are, of course, zero.

Strangely, her Affiliation is also unknown, like mine. It just shows this '!^@%#^@$' thing... but for the most curious thing of all, is how the Re: Characterization works... I'll find out what happened to our affiliation if whether the system had noticed that I faked joined here or whatnot.

"Could you click the Le: Chalactelization button, Shiro?"

"Yes, oni-chama!" the girl's tiny fingers then tapped on the database and from there, basically the same as everyone else... highly discrepant from mine.

✞———————❖———————✞

Re: Characterization in Progress

Database:

Paradigm:???

Type:???

Definition:???

Paradigm Shift:???

Limit:???

Consequence:???

Usage Violation:???

✞———————❖———————✞

"Okay Shiro, could you click the first question marks?"

"Okay, oni-chama."

As she clicked it, there appeared another platform layer which says:

Choose the Paradigm Type:

(Must be limited to one element)

(Input through imagination)

(Change is unapplicable)

Ok then, how would I explain this to a kid...

"Shiro, it says wh..." While I was just about to say a few words that I think would explain this more apparently down to a kid's level, she showed me the otherwise... Now, I know, it's wrong to underestimate, even to a kid.

Shiro, as though knowing and understanding what she just saw began to scroll down the choices and started to bombard the platform with keypresses in rhythm, one layer after the other that I could barely keep up. It seems she already has an idea in mind, an idea that I am sure that I can't object to. Well, she is a kid... No, to what I just said earlier, it's wrong to underestimate.

And then, as she finished, a loading screen popped up...

◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤ (Re: Characterization in fruition)◢◤◢◤◢◤◢◤

Eh? Is Shiro perhaps a prodigy? I wanted to learn how that process goes, and here I am, beaten up by a kid., who almost looked like she knew everything...

✞———————❖———————✞

Re: Characterization Complete

Database:

Paradigm: Soul Replication

Type: Mana Manipulation

Definition: Transform to any bestial creature at any elemental attribute without attaining to boundaries, copying the monster's skills, defense, attack, and form. Can switch forms with a one-second cooldown.

Paradigm Shift: Bloody Butterfly

Limit: 1 minute per week

Consequence: 4-day Hibernation

Usage Violation: 1-month Hibernation

✞———————❖———————✞

Shiro, happy with the shown outcome, no matter how little her perception of what the process is for, smiles in satisfaction. Well, having a hibernation for a consequence is not that bad right.? I guess it's fine. No, it is by far convenient. Maybe this Ethereal Paradigm is a bit forgiving to the little ones.

"Gather round now. Your 'Persona Interface (PI) is always updated. Announcements would be given by Athena through here without undue delays and also, please do expect that the shown 'Sentient Conteder Count (SCC)' will always be in constant change as the warfare proceeds. All that you have to do now is have a weapon, and you'll find yourselves on the pangs of both peril and joy. Make sure that it fits your physique." Amadea continued in her task.

"Not too distant from here is a NÆthervalian Kingdom. I recommend, you can start from there, or you also might want to go forth a more unorthodox way, then you could do as you please. It all lies in your hands. Moreover, I could say that the Kingdom is more preferable.", so said the goddess, but I think not that many would want to choose the 'unorthodox way'. For now, they're likely to go in flocks and in the most conventional there is, except for those confident others that left a while ago.

As everyone finished their own Re: Characterization, Amadea Mozart, as her elegant arch-bent piano began playing tunes of hope and new vigors, she left us with as little as "Good luck... Let's meet again somewhere", disappearing suddenly without a trace. They really have the hobby of presence concealment which sometimes is a little macabre.

'Requiem Aranea'...'Soul Replication'.Now, to what extent can we utilize you both? Shall we test that? In moderation of course... I would not dare lose a year in my lifespan for something trivial. Although I don't know for myself if I'll be able to enjoy that if I do manage to preserve the span. If I die, the conservation efforts would be all for naught.

Oh right. I have to meetLacrimosa first... Then, I have to guess, that from that point onwards, we're on our own.

Chapter end