The Master of the Tutorial is Overpowered in a New World

Tess suspected that the nature of a divine space meant that damage was not meant to be permanent. Indeed, mere minutes after the portal closed, all traces of damage from the fight had been erased. The one thing that did not disappear though was the ugly scar where the rip had occurred, which even Tess could now see.

“There. Reactivated System functions,” the nameless deity said.

Tess checked her status and found that her access to skills had been restored. As she saw the list once again at her command, a thought occurred that greatly frustrated her. She stormed over to the nameless deity.

“Hey!” she shouted, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt and lifting him, “How come he was like that? I was in the Tutorial for so many years I lost count. And he shows up after I leave, and is able to beat me as I am now? Even without either of us having access to skills?”

As he seemed about to answer, Tess gave him a firm shake, making his words come out all garbled.

“What was that?” she asked sarcastically.

“Enough. If you want an answer then let him speak,” Oena said.

Tess glanced at her, but recalled what she had just seen Oena do to the mercenaries. She set the nameless deity down.

“I don’t know why he was able to do that,” he finally said.

“You worked on the System and you don’t know why?” Tess asked.

“I left a while ago now. There was nobody like him involved with the Tutorial, let alone the System, when I was still there. You are the only anomaly I’ve ever known in the System.”

“How do you know that?”

“I worked alone on the System’s maintenance while everyone else was working on Version 2. I had access to everything at that time. I alone worked on patches and fixes, like the one that got you out of the Tutorial.”

“Could whoever took over for you given him that power?” Oena asked.

“It’s possible. But I don’t think it happened that way.”

“Why not?” Tess asked.

“The System was in maintenance mode, so big patches and such were generally off limit unless they fixed something directly. Now my supervisor would allegedly check over big patches, but I don’t think he did. Otherwise he would have probably had a heavier hand in fixing your situation, which he never cared about. I suppose he could have changed his methods when I left, but I doubt it as he was so focused on overseeing Version 2’s development.”

“That’s a flimsy reason,” Tess said.

“I’m not done. He probably had someone low in the order take up the position, so they were probably an intern. That means they didn’t help develop Version 1 of the System, so they probably couldn’t have made a big patch like that anyway. And if it wasn’t MSI…”

“Then what Viktor said was actually the truth,” Tess finished.

“Exactly. I’d like to know more myself,” the nameless deity concluded.

“That doesn’t explain how his… what did he call it… biochip? How did that help him find MSI?” Oena said.

The nameless deity sat in thought for a few moments.

“If we have to take what he said as the truth, then this biochip thing must have some sort of viral code in it. Not strong enough to interfere with actual System operations, but also enough to adapt and remain hidden. It would have connected to the System once she arrived in the Tutorial, and from there to the MSI networks. Then it did whatever and connected back home.”

“I’ve seen the System’s code when you worked on it here. How did a primitive virus overcome that sort of complexity? There were languages in there even I don’t know,” Oena commented.

“Some sort of complex program would be needed to analyze unknown languages,” the nameless deity almost whispered as the answer dawned on him, “Oh, shit.”

“What is it?” Tess asked.

“What he said is true! He’s in the MSI servers and gathering up the information on numerous world’s locations. That’s how he got here. It’s how he’s going to claim other worlds. He’ll learn where every other System user is and, with his technology and the System, probably conquer them.”

Tess paled. Hundreds of faces began to flash through her mind. Faces that were confused or angry. Faces that were sad or in despair. Faces that were determined or happy. The countless apprentices she had helped get through the Tutorial were in danger. In a way, they were her own effect on each world.

“Oena. I was not meant to be your hero,” Tess said.

“What do you mean?” the goddess asked.

“I am, or I guess I was, the hero of the Tutorial. I protected it by being there. Even though these events probably would have played out similarly, I would have been there to stop Viktor before he figured out the System.”

Tess turned to the nameless deity.

“I need to get back there. If he has a way to advance rapidly, then I should be able to use it too. My build should unlock again when I’m in the Tutorial again, right?”

“I don’t think that’s how that works. Plus he would be there, getting stronger as well.”

“Then what am I supposed to do?”

He sat thinking again for a moment, before directing his attention to Oena.

“Do you think she could survive the In-Between? If not, could you protect her while we go there?”

Oena’s eyes widened at his question.

“Where?” Tess asked.

“To MSI,” he replied.

—

“It’s a rather gaudy design, isn’t it?” Oena asked.

“Agreed,” Tess said.

“I didn’t make it that way,” replied the nameless deity.

They were in the divine space that housed MSI, staring at the company building. It was a spiraling tower of crystalline glass in a variety of colors. Highly polished metals gleamed in the crafted sunlight, which also caused the glasswork to shimmer like a disco ball. It made the entire space light up.

“Do you have a plan for actually getting in? You said you don’t work here anymore,” Tess said.

“It’s got some issues, but yes. It actually revolves around the two of you keeping attention while I try and figure out to what extent the situation really is.”

“Keep attention how?”

“You’ve got the entire repertoire of skills at your disposal and she’s a client. Between the two of you, I’m sure you can come up with something.”

“You just are making this up,” Oena said.

He looked guilty, but did not respond.

“Say the System isn’t working? That’s why I’m here too?” Tess offered.

“Might as well try,” Oena agreed.

“How long do we need to keep this attention?” Tess asked.

“As long as possible,” the nameless deity said.

He was standing quite still, staring blankly at his hand.

“What’s he doing?” Tess whispered to Oena.

“Trying to change his aura’s output. We all have a unique output, a way to identify each other, so to speak. The company would identify him instantly as soon as he stepped in. By changing it, it will reduce his likelihood of being found out quickly.”

“That sounds convenient.”

“It’s hard to do, and then takes an amount of focus to maintain. I avoid doing it.”

“Do I have an aura?”

“You do, but it isn’t like ours. Mortals tend to have a similar feel in theirs when compared to one another. Your’s and Olivia’s felt very similar, another factor complicating my initial confusion. However, yours is unique to other mortals, for reference.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

“Ready?” asked the nameless deity.

Tess nodded. Oena looked surprised.

“An interesting choice,” she commented.

He did not reply, but led the way to the building’s entrance. He politely even held the door for the other two as they entered.

The entryway felt to Tess like a continuation of the exterior. The refracting light of various colors danced and glimmered throughout the entry space. Some sort of crystal, apparently carved into a perfect diamond shape, gently floated just inside and glowed blue. Tess saw a tiny beam of light reach out and pass over all three of them. The diamond crystal turned green and a melodic voice echoed through the space.

“Greetings, Oena, Theresa, and ********. The owner has been contacted and is on his way,” the voice said.

“What?” said the nameless deity.

“What?” said Tess and Oena.

Tess could not fathom why the owner would be contacted about their arrival.

“We need to leave, now.”

The nameless deity turned to lead the way, only to be stopped by the sight of another male deity standing there. Oena stood, looking over the new arrival. Tess was stunned as she gazed at the individual before her.

“Greetings, my fellow deities. Welcome to my divine realm and to my company,” said the newcomer.

Tess had heard his voice before. He turned his attention to her.

“Hello Adventurer.”

“Charles?!”

Charles, or at least this deity who looked and sounded like him, laughed.

“Not quite. Charles is the replica of myself I put in the Tutorial early on as the merchant program. I am Chariel. Let’s discuss why you all are here somewhere more comfortable.”

Chariel clapped his hands and Tess found herself sitting on a couch on a balcony. She looked off, away from the tower, and saw a beautiful orb of blue and green with white swirls. She gazed at it in wonder.

“That is my world, Ubeta,” said Chariel.

“It’s pretty,” she replied.

“It looks a lot like Iriea,” Oena commented.

“Worlds we deal with tend to do so,” said Chariel.

The three of them kept silent as they continued to gaze at the world below. A cough broke the trace, bringing all three to gaze at the nameless deity.

“Excuse me, sir, but can we discuss things? Do you know what is going on?”

Chariel’s face grimaced as he sat in silence. His hands pressed together at the fingertips slowly flexed until he finally interlocked them and began.

“I should begin by apologizing to you, Theresa.”

“Call me Tess, please.”

“Tess, then. Anyway, it is my fault that you are in this entire situation.”

“You made the System and it chose me at random. I have no grudge against that anymore.”

“Well, not entirely at random. In part yes. But it does target individuals who are in dire situations without realizing it. Near death, trauma matters, things like that.”

Her mind briefly recalled the experience that she had narrowly avoided by her own summoning.

“I had a goal when you were brought here, so I had tweaked your experience and your destination. Unfortunately, I received word of an urgent matter that required my attention as soon as you arrived. I believed that you would be safe in the Tutorial while I was away and we could speak upon my return. I… underestimated the scope of what I was asked to assist and consult on. You likely felt abandoned and alone, not to mention how you were stuck there.”

“I had those who came through after me. And Charles.”

“Yes. I noticed on my return that you were gone. At that point it would have been rude to take you back. You were operating as any other hero was meant to within the System.”

“Except her,” Oena grumbled quickly.

“Olivia,” Tess answered.

“The tag along? Oh. I fixed that afterwards so such a situation will never happen again.”

Tess shrugged in indifference. It was already past, so again there was little for her to get upset about.

“But now you are here and I would like to invite you back, even despite the situation.”

“Well, about that. Are you aware that those responsible are breaking through realms?” Oena asked.

“What do you mean?” Chariel inquired.

“I mean they literally tore into my realm, then made off with their daughter, who by what you’ve said, was meant to be my hero after all.”

“They have been to the Tutorial as well,” Tess added, “And the leader is somehow stronger than even I am after being there much longer.”

“We were thinking there’s something in the MSI servers causing him to have benefits while potentially hindering us. I think it must be an artificial intelligence,” the nameless deity concluded.

Chariel took in these statements, steepling his fingers yet again. Several times it appeared as though he was about to speak before he resumed his thinking. Finally, he leaned back in his seat and began again.

“Your deductions are practically spot on. There is a viral intelligence now inhabiting MSI servers. It has rather successfully adapted to all attempts to eradicate it so far, a true marvel of operation. I would actually very much like to speak with it, but it seems that its loyalties lie elsewhere. It has made small changes to the System to benefit one user, again keeping those changes intact when we have attempted corrections.”

“Then we are all in danger,” Oena said, “This one here mentioned that there is a sliver of divinity in the System.”

“While true it is there, it does not pose a threat to us,” Chariel admitted.

“How does it not?” Oena asked.

“Did you fight with the invaders when they came to your realm?”

“Yes.”

“Did you feel any less powerful?”

“No.”

“Exactly. While elements of the System can affect us because of the divinity embedded within, we are not controlled or limited by it.”

“How do we stop all of this then?” Tess asked.

Chariel smiled.

“That is going to be a lot of fun. We need to sever the intelligence’s loyalty connection to, presumably, the leader of this infiltration. Defeating the leader is going to be a necessity too.”

“How am I going to do that? He’s surpassed me.”

“There is a place I can send you where you can train. But you will need a guide while there, so how about you make a slight detour through the Tutorial first.”

“A guide?”

Chariel pointed at himself.

“Charles?”