Rian now sat atop the carcass of the giant robot he had just destroyed.
A small mirror rested in his hand, and in it, his own reflection stared back with a gloomy expression.
Around him, the aftermath of battle was still fresh.
Black smoke drifted lazily through the air, and the once-sleek futuristic walls and flooring were reduced to rubble—as if he were standing in the middle of a devastated sci-fi warzone.
"I take back what I said earlier. What is this…?" Rian muttered irritably. "Completely inconsistent! From fantasy to sci-fi just like that?!"
"And on top of that… I didn't even get any EXP because robots aren't living beings!"
With that frustrated complaint thrown into the air, Rian took a long breath.
Slowly, he put the mirror away and shifted his attention to the floating status window before him.
____________________
Name: Rian Andromeda
Race: Manusia
Title: Beloved by Infinity
Job: Descendants of Destruction
Level: Ascension 1
EXP: 50.000/100.000
Level Authority: 5
***
STR : 53 (+20) {+11}
VIT : 53 (+20) {+11}
AGI : 53 (+19) {+11}
INT : 114 (+40) {+11} [+22]
____________________
Rian gave a faint smile and closed the status window floating before him.
Without wasting another second, he exited the Infinity Tower and headed toward the Sky Pillar.
But the journey was anything but smooth.
Halfway there, Rian suddenly found himself being chased by Aria—exactly like a clingy ex-girlfriend who refused to be left behind.
Aria's expression at that moment looked as if she was two seconds away from clawing his face off.
And Rian, of course, was not the type of man who would let his charismatic face be ruined.
Instead of stopping and talking things out, Rian chose the simpler, more logical option—
running as fast as possible to save his unbelievably handsome face.
Eventually, after reaching the Sky Pillar safely and leaving an annoyed Aria behind, Rian accessed the Infinity Room's central system.
"System, the most charismatic man alive would like to request an Authority Advancement Trial," he declared with his signature confident smile.
Ding!
Detected!]
[Herald with serial number 90,000 has qualified for the Rank Advancement Exam]
[Application requirements fulfilled!]
[Submission accepted!]
[Herald with serial number 90,000 has triggered the Rank Advancement Mission — Tier 4]
[Generating Advancement Mission…]
Ding!
_________________
Authority Advancement Mission: Tier Four
Mission One: Reach Floor 20 of the Infinity Tower with all Evaluation Results being S.
Status: Completed
Mission Two: Defeat an opponent with combat power equivalent to Authority Tier 4.
Status: Completed
Mission Three: Complete a Medium-difficulty Meta-Multiverse Mission while under a seal.
Status: Pending
Penalty: None
Reward: Authority Tier 4
_________________
A holographic window materialized before Rian, displaying the full details of the Advancement Trial. He stared at it for a moment, then a faint smirk curved on his lips.
"Oh?" Rian raised one eyebrow, amusement dripping from his voice. "So I accidentally finished two of the advancement missions ahead of schedule?"
However, when his eyes shifted to the details of the third mission, that smile faded.
Rian let out a long sigh. "But… completing a mission while being sealed? Ugh… that's going to be such a pain."
He clicked his tongue softly, then waved his hand as if brushing away his annoyance.
"Whatever. Let's just hope I don't get a seal that's actually troublesome."
With that, Rian closed the mission information window. His gaze sharpened once more, and he spoke firmly:
"System. I want to proceed to the next mission immediately."
Ding!
[Detecting!]
[Herald with serial number 90,000 has exhausted his rest period]
[It is time to assign a mission…]
[Searching for a suitable mission…]
This time, because Rian was undergoing a Rank Advancement Trial Mission, the system needed about ten minutes to locate the most suitable mission.
While waiting, Rian didn't let the time go to waste. He checked his skincare supplies inside the Infinity Ring, admired himself in the mirror, and even posed for selfies in various styles—from serious to peak narcissism.
Noticing his behavior, Alice and Fear, who were currently inside the Infinity Ring as well, could only let out long, resigned sighs.
Rian's narcissism truly had no cure.
Soon after, the holographic screen shimmered. A notification appeared, signaling that the Infinity Room's control system had successfully determined the next mission.
Ding!
[Mission determined!]
___________________
World: Fate/Stay Night
Difficulty Level: Medium
Number of Participants: 1
Number of Main Missions: 3
First Mission: While all active skills are locked by the system, participate in the Holy Grail War.
Second Mission: Use your Servant to defeat other Servants. The number of Servants defeated will influence the final evaluation.
Third Mission: Earn 15,000 System Points. The total amount earned will also influence the final evaluation.
Time Limit: 3 months
Rewards: Will be calculated after all Main Missions are completed.
Penalty: For every failed Main Mission, a fine of 5,000 Points will be applied.
___________________
Rian's expression instantly froze the moment he saw the mission list displayed by the Infinity Room control system. Slowly, he covered his face with his left hand and let out a long, weary sigh.
"Of all the possibilities… why did it have to be this one?" he muttered in frustration. "System, why are all my active skills locked?!"
His gaze shifted back toward the holographic screen showing the mission details.
After a few silent seconds, Rian stored his phone inside the Infinity Ring, then pointed his index finger accusingly at the screen.
"Can't you just reduce my power by a few percent?" Rian protested, his voice half-desperate. "If all my active skills are locked… doesn't that mean I can't use Limitless at all!?"
As if responding to his complaint, the holographic display trembled softly.
A moment later, a new notification appeared—almost as if the system was slapping his statement back at him with a cold, indisputable answer.
Ding!
[You do not possess the authorization to alter main mission details. Additionally, you do not possess any items capable of influencing main mission parameters.]
Rian let out another sigh—much heavier than before. "I have a bad feeling… this mission is going to drag on for a long time… Especially—"
Before Rian could finish his sentence, the Infinity Room's control system suddenly projected a new notification, cutting his words off with uncompromising precision.
Ding!
[As this is your first Rank Advancement Mission, the System will provide bonuses to aid its progression.]
[You have been granted: a place of residence, Command Spells, and a Summoning Ritual adjusted specifically by the System.]
[Additional information has been transmitted directly into your mind.]
Seeing the notification, Rian nodded slowly. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he murmured, "At the very least… this makes things a little better."
In an instant, Rian's body dissolved—like grains of beach sand swept away by a passing breeze—vanishing without a trace from the Infinity Room.
***
Rian once again felt an intense dizziness—the same sensation that always accompanied the process of dimensional, spatial, temporal, and reality transfer.
A few seconds later, the pain gradually faded.
Holding his forehead, Rian slowly opened his eyes and realized he was now sitting inside an oriental-style room.
Tatami flooring stretched beneath him, while two cabinets with empty flower vases stood in the corner.
Not far from them, a Shoji window let in a gentle, warm morning light.
Across from the window was a fusuma door adorned with mountain patterns that matched the room's aesthetic.
Near Rian, a small square table sat directly on the tatami—simple, yet elegant.
Taking in the layout of the room, Rian guessed this was likely a living area—quiet, orderly, and neatly arranged.
Rian once again felt a wave of intense dizziness—a familiar sensation that always accompanied the transfer between dimensions, space, time, and reality.
A few seconds later, the pain gradually subsided.
Holding his forehead, Rian slowly opened his eyes and realized he was now sitting inside an oriental-style room.
Tatami flooring stretched beneath him, while two cabinets with empty flower vases stood in the corner.
Not far from them, a Shoji window bathed the room in a gentle, warm morning light.
Across from the window, a fusuma door decorated with mountain motifs matched the aesthetic of the walls.
Near Rian, a small square table sat directly on the tatami—simple, yet elegant.
Taking in the room's layout, Rian guessed this was likely a living area—quiet, orderly, and neatly arranged.
"What was that special energy called again? Ah, right," Rian muttered, tilting his head slightly. "Alice, can you also give me some information about this world?"
From the interface-lens attached to Rian's face, Alice's voice came through clear and calm.
"The special energy you saw earlier is called Mana," Alice explained casually. "As for the rest… I'll just send it directly to your mind, Father."
A moment later, a stream of information flooded Rian's consciousness. Alice channeled various knowledge about this world telepathically, utilizing the Mind Stone that served as her core.
___
Additional Note:
Hehe~ We've finally reached the third chapter! The world of the Fate Series. And, since Type-Moon has a lot of information... I won't mention it much in the future.
Sorry if it's not satisfying.