Adrain clicked his tongue, irritation still lingering, but he held himself back. Fine… he would let it finish—for now.
[The binding process for the Cosmic Rune will now begin with the Argonaut's Transcendent Quantum AI Core.]
[The Ultimate Omni Sovereign System Mission (locked) and Reward Panels have been unlocked.]
Note: The System advises that its delusional Host hurry up and check the AI Core. Its importance is vital to the Host's survival.
[System Shop: LOCKED until Host completes first Sudden Mission the shop will remain indefinitely locked.]
[Note that the mission halls remain locked and will only be triggered when a sudden mission appears and is completed. A sudden mission is automatically triggered based on specific conditions.
"You, the so-called 'Omni-Whatever' System... you're way too full of yourself!" Adrian said speechlessly, glaring at the last few words on the screen. "Everything is locked, and the info on the mission hall is incredibly vague!"
[YOU!! You are the one who is full of yourself, stupid Host! Not this System! This System is the key to your otherwise dull life and bleak future!]
"Oi, whose life is dull? I'll have you know I was a billionaire back in high school in my world just by playing games!" Adrian retorted, patting his chest. His eyes shone with confidence, radiating a billionaire's aura. "Even without you, I would be just fine! And what 'bleak future'? I see a rather bright one for myself!"
But the System didn't care who he was or what he had been. It remained brutally blunt.
[What the hell? This is peak-level delusion! I bow down to your shamelessness...]
Adrian almost staggered and fell at the insult. He quickly regained his seating, adjusting himself in the command chair. "Psh, who cares?" He waved his hand dismissively. "Anyway... I'll make good use of you now that you're here."
[You...]
{Whatever! Who cares what you do or not? I'm going to sleep! I'll wake up when you're acting normal. Bye, stupid Host. See you someday!}
"Huh? Wait, System!" Adrian, who had been in a playful mood and wanted to banter more before asking about the "Creator" it had mentioned, was caught off guard.
Who was that person? Was it their doing that he had been reincarnated? And was it their power that had returned his ship to him, albeit with changes that made it far beyond what it once was?
But before he could get serious, the System decided to run off.
[Nope. Not waiting. Bye.]
"System? System!" Adrian called out repeatedly, but he received no answer. He felt a surge of frustration, but after taking a few deep breaths, he forced himself to let it go. I'll deal with you some other time and make you call me "Daddy," you piece of junk.
Suddenly, the System panel reappeared with a new message:
[The binding process for the Cosmic Rune is complete!]
[The Red Empress is manifesting in...]
[3]
[2]
[1]
Rumble...
The ship suddenly began to tremble. A strange, low-frequency hum filled the air, followed by a massive energy surge.
WHOOOOOOOOMMMMM!
All the holographic panels beside the control station, which had been in a semi-awakened state, flickered violently before coming completely online.
A series of screens flashed in front of Adrian's face:
[Transcendent Hyper-Quantum Star Particle Reactor is ONLINE]
[Calculating performance...]
[Reactor working at 100% capacity]
[Checking all systems and modules...]
[All systems operating at 100%]
More information blurred past his eyes at lightning speed. Finally, a calm, melodic voice rang in his ears, filled with warmth and recognition.
"The Argonaut and I welcome you on board again, Master Adrian."
As the words flashed across the holographic screens and that melodic voice echoed, the energy in front of Adrian began to fluctuate. Countless rune-like symbols appeared, spinning and transforming rapidly until they coalesced into a solid figure.
The figure was that of a young woman in her early twenties with a stunning silhouette. A cascade of vibrant, crimson hair flowed down her back like a waterfall. Her eyes were the same striking colour, though they looked more like burning red embers.
They were so intense that it felt as if anyone who stared into them for too long would be burned by the flames within.
Her face was just as striking as her perfect figure; between the fiery hair and those glowing eyes, the sight was overwhelming—almost unreal. The very word "beauty" seemed to pale in comparison to her presence.
"Wow… is that really you, Red Empress? You look… unbelievably beautiful.," Adrian muttered. He found himself unknowingly captivated, momentarily entrapped by the ethereal yet real Figure standing right before him.
Even though Adrian had spoken in a low tone, the Red Empress—now younger and different than he remembered—overheard him. She couldn't help but giggle, covering her mouth with her small, fair hands as she tried her best not to laugh out loud. The gesture only made her overwhelming cuteness hit like an overload.
A flash of heat hit Adrian's face. He had momentarily fallen for her charm before quickly composing himself. Damn you, Adrian, he rebuked himself internally. Shame on you, falling for an AI!
The Red Empress raised her head high like a proud swan and performed a graceful 360-degree turn in the air.
"I look good, don't I?" she asked with a giggle. "The Cosmic Rune really did wonders, not only for my figure but for my capabilities! I am far more powerful now, Master. What was limited before is no longer an issue. With this upgrade, I can serve and help you even more effectively!"
She gave him a playful smirk, patting her chest with an air of immense pride.
"Really" Adrian's eyes lit up at the thought. He knew exactly how extraordinary Empress was within the game. After all, she wasn't just any system—she was the crowning achievement of the Celestial Guild's research and design wing, officially ranked as a top-of-the-line AI.
Her capabilities were nothing short of astonishing. Lower-tier vessels could be hacked in moments, almost effortlessly. Even Tier 6 ships and their advanced systems weren't beyond her reach—given time, she could infiltrate and take control of them as well. Within the world of Celestial Conquest, she wasn't just useful… she was game-changing.
Adrian didn't fully understand the extent of her power yet. But seeing the quiet confidence in her presence, he couldn't help but feel that her true potential was far greater—at least ten times more impressive than what he had already witnessed.