Lewd System: Every Scream and Moan is EXP Chapter 316 : What A World Full Of Nincompoops

With a somber tone, Jax sought confirmation. "Echidna, is that truly you?"

Echidna’s reply was laced with a forced jollity. "Ta-da! Affirmative, the one and only! Am I not utterly charming? Come now, you must concede that my cuteness factor has now far surpassed Tempris... yes?"

Jax recognized her attempt to dispel his gloom. However, the current spectacle was far too grim for any jest to mend. A girl, no older age than Tempris, was being exploited, reduced to mere fodder for another's ambitions. His voice dropped, strained. "This is simply..."

Words failed him. His fists clenched, knuckles whitening with the intensity of his suppression.

Echidna spoke again, her tone light and playful, a deliberate shield against a deeper turmoil. "Oh, don't wear such a long face, Jax! Every iconic heroine requires a compelling origin story! If you were to leap down there and dismember them, you’d shatter my character development! So, sheath your blade, cease your heroic – or perhaps villainous – overprotectiveness, and let destiny unfold."

Jax’s jaw tightened. "Just be quiet."

A heavy silence settled between them for a span. Then, Jax broke it, his voice now bearing a weight far exceeding mere anger.

"What is fundamentally flawed with this damnable world? Why are purity and vulnerability perpetually sacrificed? This world chastises the weak for the simple act of existing, stripping them bare. Meanwhile, the most detestable wretches, the very ones deserving of this torment, wield the knife."

Echidna responded with an unnerving placidity, incongruous with the scene. "Don't create a scene over it. The world has always been a cruel stage. The mighty prey, and the weak are devoured. It is not a penalty; it is merely the harsh law of nature. Those villains triumph because they seize without reservation. And the diminished suffer because they have yet to cultivate their own predatory instincts."

She paused, observing the agonizing reenactment of her own past. Her voice, when she resumed, held a raw edge. "But do you know the peculiar benefit of being buried in utter darkness, Jax? It is the sole environment where a seed can truly germinate. That agony you witness? It is not shattering me; it is forging me. It is crafting me into something monstrous enough to endure the remainder of my narrative."

Her tone stabilized. "My past is a forgotten relic. All I recall is awakening in this realm as a vessel for a celestial. Subsequently, years of suffering ensued, subjected to experimentation by those vile individuals. Yet, observing me now, I am certain that tomorrow marks the arrival of Mother to secure my salvation, for the seals are on the verge of disintegration."

Jax retorted through clenched teeth. "So, a celestial is once again the architect of this chaos. I vow to you, Echidna. Just hold on and witness. I shall dominate this decaying world, much like your mother did. But my dominion will not settle for mere rule. I will dismantle it to its very foundations and erect a new world where no child must ever cry out in the darkness again."

He lifted his gaze, his eyes devoid of light, yet seeming to bore through the heavens. "Even if it requires dragging every god and celestial from their celestial perch and slaughtering them in the process. I will empty the heavens and let my shadow be the dread that governs the rest of the world."

His fists gradually uncurled. "I have finally discerned my ultimate objective. The pinnacle of power. The ability to reshape reality itself. Solely to ensure this world remains a pristine, untainted paradise for my progeny and all subsequent generations."

Echidna emitted a playful groan. "Heavens, your melodrama is astounding."

Suddenly, an idea sparked in Jax's mind. "Echidna. Hold on. What if I leverage this? If I bring Tempris here at the precise moment your venerable Mother materializes, would she also take Tempris? Would she raise her and ensure her safety?"

Echidna’s voice lifted with animation. "Ding, ding, ding! You're finally grasping the crux of the matter, Jax. Well, my cessation of your intervention wasn't solely for the purpose of reliving my past. The truth is, the scenario you've just proposed aligns precisely with historical events."

She elaborated. "Tempris will be apprehended tomorrow by these individuals and brought directly to this location. That is when Mother will descend. Obliterate everyone. And abscond with both of us."

Jax processed this information with swiftness. "So, my sole task is to persuade Tempris and ensure her capture by these simpletons? And that will suffice?"

Echidna hummed in assent. "Presumably. Provided all elements align as they should."

Jax began a silent retreat from the ritual chamber. "Very well. Let us conclude this swiftly, with the hope that no unforeseen complications arise."

He halted abruptly. "Wait a moment. You were acquainted with Tempris?"

Echidna explained it as if it were the most obvious thing imaginable. "Naturally. She is my elder sister. Well, that is what she compelled me to address her as. And lately, she disavowed that title. But yes, we were raised together until Mother abandoned us."

Her voice faded into reminiscence. "Tempris was somewhat peculiar from inception. Unfathomable. Initially, our rapport was excellent. We engaged in play together. Tormented others in unison. Oh, and we even assisted Mother in dispatching her adversaries! Truly wonderful times."

She let out a sigh. "However, as time progressed and her prowess solidified, she grew considerably detached from me. Back in our youth, she confided in me about a specific individual she yearned to encounter once more. That was the impetus behind her strenuous efforts with Mother to master her abilities."

Echidna’s tone grew tender. "I distinctly recall the elation she experienced upon first mastering temporal perception. She would spend countless hours employing her extraordinary gift to observe a particular person. Yet, those moments of joy soon devolved into fits of weeping. She repeatedly witnessed something ghastly. And she resolutely refused to divulge its nature."

"But then, a determination surfaced within her, unlike anything I had ever witnessed. She pushed herself to the absolute limit with Mother. Refining her blessing until she was no longer a mere observer of time but a participant. She acquired the ability to traverse the very fabric of the timeline."

Echidna’s voice bore the resonance of an unresolved parting. "And that was when she departed from me. Her parting words were, ’Should you ever find yourself drawn to a man, never permit him to confront his battles in solitude. Do not allow him to bear the weight of the world single-handedly.’ With those enigmatic words, she vanished."

Jax leaped from the rooftop, his descent towards the inn interrupted as the full implication struck him. "Wait. Does that imply..."

Echidna’s voice turned hushed, resolute. "You have already divined the truth, Jax. You are not merely some random anomaly inserted into this temporal stream. You are an intrinsic element of its historical narrative. You represent the cornerstone of Tempris’s past. And I am utterly convinced that you are the very 'certain someone' she defied the laws of time to find."

The entirety of the situation began to coalesce within Jax’s mind. Each fragment falling into place. The intricate puzzle he hadn't realized he was assembling was now constructing itself around him.

—x—X—x—

Concurrently, in a realm far removed from the perils of dungeons and the complexities of timelines, a woman observed Jax.

She also noted the celestial beings engaged in a grand repast, while simultaneously witnessing the endeavors of their chosen champions. A spectacle for the divine.

This was the same woman who had, at one point, utilized a dark overlord as a footstool. The same individual whose formidable reputation Jax had invoked to manipulate an entire academy populace to his designs.

Presently, she reclined within her personal sanctuary. A sylvan expanse existing beyond the conventional constraints of reality. And she harbored reflections that would have profoundly destabilized the hearts of two exceptionally devoted sorceresses.

’Goodness, truly. These sorceresses actually perceive me as some sort of divine paragon?’ She absently scratched her head. ’That must be a consequence of my supreme luck status from that era.’

She stretched languidly, emitting a yawn. ’My sole intention was to hunt a celestial being who appeared in that unsavory locale, seeking to augment my power. And serendipitously, I stumbled upon two diminutive entities possessing extraordinary superpowers along the way. Thus, I merely engaged in their cultivation. Nourished them. Trained them. Assumed the guise of a benevolent guardian just long enough for their capabilities to reach full maturity.’

A smile, devoid of any maternal warmth, graced her features. ’The instant they attained their zenith, I appropriated their abilities and cast them aside.’

She gazed skyward with genuine bewilderment. ’Yet, instead of discerning they were exploited, these utter simpletons actually hold me in esteem. They even concocted this remarkably touching, sorrowful narrative explaining my purported need to abandon them. Bestowed upon me a tragic origin story I never desired.’

She shook her head in sheer disbelief. ’Honestly. What a world brimming with imbeciles.’

-x-X-x-

[A/N: Two Chapters dropping within the next 2 hours, stay tuned! 🔥]