The Oracle Paths

"..."

Jake didn't know how to respond to this. Four bodyguards of Oracle Guardian standard? It sounded too good to be true.

However, even though the taciturn alien standing in front of him was being evasive, he could still sense the hidden intentions motivating this honorable treatment.

"Just to be sure, it's not because I was promoted to Oracle Knight, right?" Jake sneered coldly.

The Oracle Guardian remained stoic, his unwavering gaze fixed on Jake, and replied with a composed tone, "I'm afraid not. This edict doesn't stem directly from Oros, but from the all-seeing Oracle System itself. And rest assured, you're not the only one being subjected to such an intimate level of scrutiny."

Jake scowled, his mind racing with possible explanations for this intrusive surveillance. He knew without exerting too much effort that it had to do with his new condition, or rather, the "D" of his newfound bloodline. Since he had the power to vanish from the Oracle System's radar at any given moment and possibly fabricate data regarding his activities, the System had no choice but to resort to more conventional means of surveillance.

"So, if I tolerate this constant surveillance, can I still issue orders to these TX138 units as I see fit?" Jake inquired, trying to find some silver lining in his predicament.

The Oracle Guardian nodded his head and clarified, "Yes, you can certainly give orders to the TX138 units, but so can I, Oros, or the Oracle System. As long as your directives are reasonable and you remain faithful to the Mirror Universe, you're free to use them at your discretion. As for myself, I'm solely responsible for your protection and wellbeing until further notice, so I can't abandon my post for any reason. Do you have any other queries?"

Jake shook his head. He had nothing to hide from the Oracle System except for his Oracle AI's ability to obtain its own body, and he had everything to gain and not much to lose from this situation.

It was as if he held a precious jewel, shining bright and powerful in his grasp, but still chained to the larger, more complex system around him. He couldn't help but wonder what other hidden rules and intricacies he had yet to discover.

But for now, he felt a sense of relief. He could continue his journey without any immediate threats looming over his head. The Myrtharian Nerds seemed to feel the same way, their tense postures relaxing as they let out a collective sigh of relief.

Still... from another perspective, it also meant that their Red Cubes didn't really belong to them.

"Your Red Cube belongs to you," the Oracle Guardian assured him, guessing what was bothering him. "But the network connecting all the Red Cubes in the Mirror Universe belongs to the Oracle. If you wish and with the appropriate technology, you can create your own network of private Red Cubes to eventually organize your own Ordeals, but that has little interest. However, if it can ease your mind, changing a Player's emergence Red Cube is not within anyone's reach. I was only able to do so with the approval of Oros and the Oracle System. Your own Oracle Rank also has a direct influence on this type of action. If another Evolver wanted to use this functionality to conspire against you, they would need to surpass you in both Oracle Rank and nobility.

"But even if they meet these criteria, they would still need the approval of all high-ranking individuals involved in such a transfer. For example, if an Evolver from System ZZ830 tried to change your emergence Red Cube to a Red Cube from their territory, they would need not only the authorization of the Oracle Overseers on their planet and B842, but also those of the Oracle Governors of Systems ZZ830 and ZZ831. Just by seeing that you are an Oracle Colonel and Oracle Knight after only four Ordeals, such a request would have virtually no chance of passing."

This clarification not only reassured Jake, but also all the other Myrtharian Nerds who had built a Red Cube on their islands. Because what could be done with a Red Cube could surely be accomplished with Yellow or Orange Cubes as well.

If anyone with even a little bit of power could tamper with the coordinates of their destination, how could they dare to take these means of transportation in the future? It would be like throwing oneself into the lion's den and being at the mercy of their enemies.

"By the way... where are we?" Jake finally asked.

As they emerged from the building, a blinding light assaulted their senses, searing their eyes with the intensity of a thousand suns. Jake and his fellow Myrtharian Nerds blinked, their vision slowly adjusting to the radiance, revealing the looming planet B842 beyond the artificial orb. The sheer scale of the colossal planet was awe-inspiring, its slow rotation creating the illusion of a motionless giant.

But the truth was far more violent. With a velocity that could reach several thousand kilometers per second, the planet's surface was subject to catastrophic winds that would render it uninhabitable, were it not for the compartmentalized biomes made possible by protective force fields. Even then, some areas remained untamed, their swirling cyclones and relentless storms a daunting challenge for any who dared to venture too close.

And yet, amidst this dangerous beauty, Jake and his companions beheld the towering Oracle Buildings and Cubes, imposing structures that dwarfed those of other Oracle Cities. Such a sight could only mean one thing: they had arrived at the pinnacle of this system's power, the only place that could accommodate such a grandiose display of architectural might.

"The Oracle Capital of Thelma." Will proclaimed, with a hint of reverence.

Having managed their faction and dabbled in trade on the side, he had traversed Thelma on numerous occasions but never this far. Even so, he recognized the colossal structures from afar.

The Oracle Guardian confirmed their location with a curt nod before gesturing towards the distant white metal palace comprised of three impressive palaces. "That is the Oracle Palace, where you must venture tomorrow. It is typically forbidden for players of your rank to enter without authorization."

Jake accepted the challenge with a stoic nod. He knew the Oracle Palace was likely much grander and more intimidating up close than it appeared from this distance. Without any hesitation, he took flight towards the nearest Yellow Cube, located on the outskirts of Thelma, away from the Oracle Capital.

For security reasons, the Transportation Towers housing these Yellow Cubes were not built in the Oracle Capital itself, but on the outskirts of Thelma. Since Jake had already been here before, he did not need to calculate an Oracle Path to find his way.

As Jake soared away without them, the other Myrtharian Nerds stopped dawdling and took flight after him. Even those who, by necessity, still lacked the ability to fly ran and leaped at inhuman speeds, and despite being a bit slower and less charismatic, they still didn't take long to reach a Transportation Tower.

When Jake landed on the rooftop of the Transportation Tower, he hoped to bask in a moment of respite. But as he turned around, his gaze met the Oracle Guardian, and his eyebrows twitched at the sight of the alien's close proximity. The creature had been tailing him like a phantom, sticking to him like a shadow.

As if that weren't enough to make Jake feel suffocated, he broke into a cold sweat at the sight of Lucia's curvaceous figure just behind him. Despite her formidable strength, she was among the Myrtharian Nerds who couldn't fly. To keep up with him, she must have been running at the speed of a rocket.

Jake noticed the craters in Lucia's wake, each one perfectly matching her footprints. The supersonic blasts and shockwaves she generated had yet to hit them.

Thankfully, Thelma was a Floating Island that could house individuals of the Oracle Overseer's caliber. The damage caused by Lucia's speed would have otherwise resulted in its ruin. But the metallic ground was already smoothing over the indentations, and the shockwaves had been neutralized.

As he locked eyes with the Myrmidian princess, Jake found the Oracle Guardian's presence less daunting. Seeing her slight smirk, he imagined a cat that had just caught a mouse. In this case, he was that mouse.

When Lucia subconsciously ran her tongue over her soft and sensual lips, begging to be kissed, Jake finally remembered the promise he had made to her. The one to give her an answer at the end of the Ordeal.

'Fuck... Does she want an answer right now?' Jake hadn't planned for that.

When he had made that promise back then, it was just to buy some time. He had hoped that in the meantime, she would move on. He was far from imagining that she would not forget and would keep that rare promise of his carefully stored in her memory.

Now, what should he do...