I Hate Systems

Wayna was seated in a carriage, watching the buildings span past as the number of people moving along the side of the road became sparse.

Her hands gripped onto a piece of coin tightly, somewhat nervous as she looked around, unable to see anyone or anything that caught her eye.

Everything seemed as normal as usual. But for some reason, she was feeling a bit nervous.

She wore a long gown like a noble, her green-rimmed gloves holding a paper fan that she used to fan herself. Twirled on one eye was a monocle that she adjusted from time to time, using it to read through the book before her, one that had a circular depression in its centre, deep enough to hide a coin within.

And it was exactly where the coin in her hand went. As the carriage continued to span past, she flipped the pages, acting like she was reading through the contents when in truth, she was distracted.

Closing her eyes, she focused upon her Personal Fragment, a mysterious torch that emitted water-like flames, generating a subtle fluctuation from time to time.

It was a Quasi-Relic, a treasure of her Kingdom that had been passed down since ages before she gained possession of it.

Among the items used by the people, there existed three divisions: Magic Tools, Quasi-Relics, and Relics.

The items used by those until the Pseudo-Saint Stage were Magical Tools, commonly referred to as a Magic Tool.

Beyond that were the two grades of Quasi-Relics and Relics, each possessing enough power to change a Kingdom.

They were the guardian items of the respective Kingdom or Empire, one that ensured their rule didn't collapse.

And one such item was the Quasi-Relic that had become her Personal Fragment. Wayna focused on it, concentrating further and further before she was able to hear countless voices squirming within.

[To wish, has been my fate, and hence I shall, rename your hate!]

[Into the stars, I gaze at you, forever smiling, to be with you!]

[Rise into the clouds, and fall into my embrace, for that is happiness!]

[Exchange your hatred with foolishness, for you'll at least have something this way.]

Verses of various tunes resounded in her mind, with each of them having a powerful impact on anyone that might hear them.

Wayna was from the Merman Race, a race that dwelled within the great ocean. As a sea-faring race, the Merman Race had two professions—Bards, and Polymorphs.

Bards sang or danced, or at times even communicated through mere gestures alone. Some were even capable of using their scent alone to communicate a myriad of emotions into the inhalers. Such people were called Bards.

And of course, they could also go on the offensive. It was just that their abilities weren't entirely direct but worked in crowd-control factors.

Their second profession, Polymorphs allowed them to transform into whatever they desired, allowing them to change the appearance of themselves and others, or even affect the environment itself.

Polymorph was a strong profession that had strategic uses, perfect for spies to have. Moreover, the Mermen race also controlled the beauty industry, travelling throughout the shores to perform in various troupes that entertained all sorts of Kingdoms and Empires.

Moreover, for a premium, someone could even approach a Merman to have their appearance altered with practically no consequences.

As to the level of the altercation, it was their wish. Some even changed genders or even their species.

But, Polymorphs weren't able to truly change one's race. So, a human that was changed into a Demon would still remain a human biologically, unable to survive in the Demon Kingdom as their bodies were just built differently.

The power of Polymorphs varied based on their strength. Pseudo-Saint Polymorphs were able to go past the racial restrictions to a certain extent. In all honestly, they were a pretty cheaty race that was elusive in nature and had a home-ground advantage, being one of the two water-dominant races.

The Merman Race was one of the most powerful races in the Fantasy World.

Of course, as a Pseudo-Relic, Wayna's Personal Fragment contained the powers of both the Merman Race professions.

A Magical Tool was declared a Relic when it forms the imprint of its wielder. Just as Wayna began to think about Pseudo-Relics and their creation, she noticed a carriage moving across her on the road, and seated on its back was Yaka.

Yaka immediately noticed her, motioning for the coachman to stop the carriage as she alighted and approached her carriage, asking, "Wayna, I was just thinking about finding you and was surprised to find you here."

"What are you doing in such a desolate place?" Wayna asked in surprise, having never expected to run into her here.

The location they were at currently was situated on the outskirts of Tentuna City, a place ruled by a gang of ruffians that dealt in human trafficking. They had been in power here for a couple of decades already, using the mountains near the city to set up a stronghold.

And the moment the Kingdom sent any troops to suppress them, the gang members would vacate deep into the mountains. Sometime later, they would gradually mingle into the city to plot against the authorities that had arrived.

Led by a Grandmaster Mage, they wielded considerable power and influence. Even Wayna was nervous about treading through this place. After all, in a foreign kingdom, she had to exercise utmost caution.

It was unknown as to when she would trigger the ire of a heavenly being. She had personally seen a System Slayer getting obliterated by one such existence after being provoked.

And considering the nature of their world's power system, even though it was impossible for them to truly kill Systems or System Slayers, they had enough means to harness either party into a power source.

She too was capable of the same, the reason she had survived for more than a century as a System Slayer. Otherwise, considering the number of System Fragments she had used to strengthen herself, she ought to have turned into a System ages ago.