Utopian System

'You realize I can feel your discomfort with this topic, right? Just like I can feel how you actually enjoy our conversations?'

'Perhaps,' Nala said with what might have been a touch of humor, 'the system analysis should include an evaluation of inappropriate consciousness bleed.'

'Admit it - you're starting to like me.'

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'I am tolerating you with divine patience.'

'While enjoying every minute of it.'

'This conversation is becoming dangerously close to insubordination.'

'You mean dangerously close to friendship?'

The word hung between them, both terrifying and somehow inevitable. In their shared consciousness, neither could fully hide from the truth - they were developing a genuine connection, despite everything that should have made that impossible.

'I do not form friendships with mortal consciousness fragments,' Nala stated, but even she could feel how unconvincing it sounded.

'And I'd like to still call you my most hated enemy, but… Too late,' Zara's presence radiated smugness. 'You're stuck with me. Literally and figuratively.'

[SYSTEM ANALYSIS: 30.003% COMPLETE]

'This is going to be a very long analysis, isn't it?' Nala sighed.

'Yep! Plenty of time for more "divine research" into human customs.'

'I am beginning to understand why Dionz finds humans so frustratingly entertaining.'

'Was that almost a compliment?'

'It was an observation.'

'A friendly observation?'

'You are impossible.'

'And you're smiling again.'

'I am not...' Nala stopped, caught once more in the impossibility of denying what they both could feel. 'This shared consciousness situation is becoming increasingly complicated.'

'You mean increasingly enjoyable?'

The silence that followed was somehow both uncomfortable and companionable - a perfect representation of their evolving relationship.

[SYSTEM ANALYSIS: 30.004% COMPLETE]

'At least the analysis is progressing,' Nala offered weakly.

'Want to pass the time learning about human jokes?'

'Absolutely not.'

'Too late, I'm already remembering them!'

As memories of Kriz began flowing through their shared consciousness, Nala found herself once again caught between divine dignity and genuine curiosity. And Zara, feeling her interest despite her protests, launched into another detailed explanation of human customs.

Neither of them mentioned how natural this was beginning to feel. Some truths were better left unacknowledged - at least for now.

♢♢♢♢

When Elio emerged from his level 29 challenge after three days of intense combat, he found not four, not five, but ten divine-equipped invocations waiting for him.

Beyond the familiar forms of Gorgita, Mirror Coat, Selene's fish, and Mei's swift, there were now six more companions.

"Ah, don't look at me like that," Dionz waved off Elio's surprise. "You were taking your time with the challenge, and I thought why not make the waiting more interesting? Besides, in this 'end game' chamber, time limits are more... suggestions really."

"The deposits?" Elio asked, looking at his fully equipped team.

"Level 20 artromus," Kriz reported through Mirror Coat. "But with all the power increases you've been sending, they weren't challenging at all… Give me back my worries."@@novelbin@@

"Your mana gifts changed everything," Selene added through her fish form. "The daily challenges in the conquered ones are now giving us cores ten times more valuable than the first ring's rewards."

Lila guided Gorgita closer. "We've secured most of the deposits, but we haven't attempted the final challenge yet. We wanted to see if Dionz would told us what we'd be facing..."

"Twenty level 20 artromus," Dionz confirmed, creating a holographic display. "Quite different from facing just ten. And more importantly, if any escape..." He left the implication hanging.

"They'd return here and find no queen," Elio understood. "And we can't risk that waking Nala up."

"Exactly!" Dionz beamed. "Which is why I suggested they might want to gather more strength first. More divine spheres, higher levels, better preparation. No rush, really. Especially since Nala's still occupied with her system analysis."

"He's right," Brok's falcon-penguin form shifted. "We should maximize our advantages before attempting the final challenge."

"The daily challenges are already providing excellent resources," Mei noted. "And with the deposits secured, our training capabilities have increased significantly."

Elio studied his assembled team, all enhanced with divine equipment, all growing stronger by the day. "Then let's be thorough about this. I have more spheres to share."

"About that," Dionz interjected cheerfully. "Since your next challenge is projected to take about six days... perhaps I could continue distributing spheres while you focus on level 30? No sense letting them gather dust, after all!"

"You just want to keep helping them without me knowing exactly how many rules you're breaking," Elio observed dryly.

"Rules are more like empty guidelines in this end game chamber, there are no rules here since she thought no one would ever make it, even I can be here as long as I want and is not rule breaking!" Dionz protested. "Besides, Nala's analysis is providing such a perfect opportunity to... test system flexibility."

The ten invocations gathered as Elio prepared to distribute more divine spheres. "Take these back," he said, providing one for each of them. "Keep getting stronger. The final challenge needs to be decisive - we can't risk any escapes."

"With these new spheres, plus what we're gaining from daily challenges..." Selene calculated through her fish form. "We should be able to enhance more support teams as well."

"Don't forget about the artromus rewards," Kriz added. "Those weird weapons are strong too."

Dionz created a display showing their recent progress. "Quite impressive really! The city's expansion, the secured deposits, the enhanced training programs... Almost like everything's proceeding according to some grand pl- I mean, developing naturally!"

"Just be careful with the distributions," Elio told them as Dionz prepared to send his companions back. "We don't want a self centered Kriz."

"Please," Kriz scoffed. "I'm being perfectly Kriz enough already! Besides, Brok would be way worse..."

After quick farewells, the ten enhanced invocations prepared to return through Dionz's passage. Their forms, now all gleaming with divine equipment and carrying new spheres, represented how far they'd come from their first desperate attempts to reach Elio.

"Focus on getting stronger," Elio advised as they prepared to leave. "The final challenge can wait until you're absolutely ready."

"Six days," Lila said through Gorgita. "By the time you reach level 30, you'll find us much better prepared."