Chapter 187: Understanding this change in the system.
The floating tabs of the System, which he had always considered a private and exclusive view, were now visible to her, as if they were a natural part of the environment.
The shock was so profound that Strax was left speechless, his mind struggling to process the impossibility before his eyes.
Cristine turned to him, a mix of confusion and fascination on her face. "Strax, what is this? I can see everything so clearly... as if it were part of the air around me. Is this normal?"
Strax shook his head slowly, trying to find a coherent answer. "No, it's not normal. The System has never been visible to anyone but me. This is something... new. I don't know how to explain it."
He stood up, beginning to pace back and forth, while his hands nervously clenched and unclenched. The System had been a crucial tool for him, an extension of his own being, and now it seemed that the boundary between his privacy and reality was being blurred. He needed to understand what was happening and how Cristine could see something that should never have been accessible to her.
"Wait a moment," Strax said, finally calming down enough to think clearly. He approached Cristine and activated a System information window. "Let's see if we can find out something about this change."
As Strax typed commands on the panel, the information began to update, and a new notification appeared:
[Function unlocked: Shared System. Now, all of your wives can view the System correctly, though they cannot interact directly. They may be notified of some of your actions.]
Strax read the message several times, trying to grasp its full meaning.
Cristine tilted her head, looking at Strax with a mix of curiosity and concern. "What does this mean? What is this shared function? And why can I, specifically, see this now?"
Strax frowned, his gaze fixed on the System message. "It seems that the System has unlocked a new function. 'Shared System'... This suggests that there is now a deeper connection between you, me, and the System. According to this, all of my wives should be able to see the System, though they can't interact with it directly.
It seems that visibility is a new feature, but there is still much I don't understand about it."
Cristine looked even more confused. "But I didn't do anything special to deserve this, did I? I just woke up and saw these floating tabs. I can't understand how this is possible."
Strax took a deep breath, trying to organize his thoughts. "I'm trying to understand too. The System has several layers and functions that, until now, were private. Apparently, your connection to the System might have been activated due to an increase in your level of... Well, our intimacy. When you reached...
well, when you were satisfied with 'that', something might have changed regarding our bond."
Cristine looked at the panel again, examining the information that now seemed clearer to her. "Strax, I'm an adult, you know? Just say that the sex was so intense and pleasurable that we reached a new level of intimacy and that must have forced the system to evolve. Also, how is this related to the System? I mean, we just had sex."
Strax began to explain in more detail, trying to make the information as accessible as possible. "I don't know... Also, aren't you very calm?" Strax said, looking at the woman, who was extremely curious... "You're calm, why should I panic? As far as I see, this isn't bad, is it?" She retorted, and Strax was left without any plausible arguments to counter her.
He paused, trying to process the complexity of the situation. "The System is a digital entity that manages and controls the abilities and statistics of individuals. I used it to monitor and enhance my capabilities, and until now, it was a tool exclusively mine."
Cristine, still a bit confused, tried to focus on the visible information. "So, does this mean I can now see everything you see in the System? And how does this affect our interactions? Well, now it makes sense why you're so strong; you had external help."
Strax shook his head, a gesture of frustration. "You can see what is publicly available through the System, but you have no direct control over it. The sharing function seems to allow you and the other wives to be informed about some of my actions and status, but you can't interact with the System directly, at least I think that's how it is."
Cristine thought for a moment, her expression becoming more complex. "This must mean there is something we need to investigate. If this function was activated, there could be more changes or consequences that we don't yet understand."
"Again, aren't you getting used to this quite quickly?" Strax commented, looking at her with no apparent emotion on his face. "I can't get panicked; we still have a major heist to complete, and I honestly don't want to cause more problems here." She replied seriously, returning to her usual self.
Strax agreed, his gaze focused on the panel. "Alright, it seems we will need to explore this new dynamic further. We need to understand how it might affect our actions and relationships. Perhaps there are other aspects of the System that have not yet been revealed."
As they discussed, Strax remembered that other members of the group might also be affected by this change. "We should check with the others to see if they also have access to the System or if they are experiencing something similar. We need to ensure everyone is aware of this..." he commented.
Cristine nodded, her eyes shining with a mix of excitement and apprehension. "Let's try to talk to them. It's important that everyone is on the same page." Cristine added, "And I hope you explain exactly how you got this mysterious magical tool..." Cristine murmured seriously, now truly back to herself.
'At least this makes him forget a bit about that embarrassing scene!!' Cristine thought internally, still dwelling on the night they had... 'I can't let him keep thinking about that! If he wants more... I won't be able to give in and we'll be stuck here for weeks...!' She mentally shouted against her internal demons of pleasure.
[You have the Succubus Physique, continue improving to unlock more abilities.]
She read, not understanding exactly what this pink tab meant, unlike Strax's blue and gold... 'I need to understand this... it might help me become stronger...' She thought, apparently Strax couldn't see the pink Tab.
Meanwhile...
In the vast and ethereal spiritual domain of Ouroboros and Tiamat, the palace of the two Dragonesses was lively, with both pacing back and forth, two boxes, one Yellow and Gold (easily confused) and one Black and Gold.
Ouroboros, the primordial dragon serpent who devoured and regenerated itself, was focused on one section of the panel. Her deep, ancient eyes scanned the information with meticulous attention. Beside her, Tiamat, the dragon queen with a commanding presence, observed with equal intensity, her scales glowing in golden hues that reflected the spiritual light around them.
"What is happening?" Tiamat asked, her voice resonating like soft thunder in the domain. "I suspected he had a System or something like that, given how quickly he evolved, but him presenting it to us like this? This is strange," she commented, looking at Ouroboros, who, despite her manic demeanor, was genuinely thoughtful.
Ouroboros lifted her head, her eyes glowing with a tone of reflection. "I don't know who this boy is, but if I remember correctly, systems were banned some time ago... yet here it is... A system, with a Sharing function."
Tiamat frowned, her dragon claws gently touching the panel. "This is intriguing. So, you're saying that others can now access the System, but not its full functionality? I mean, this is a weapon against him... If someone with ill intentions communicates this to someone like the Jade Emperor... this is a major target..."
"Exactly," confirmed Ouroboros. "The System was designed to be an intimate and private tool, and the ability to allow others to see the information is an impressively dangerous addition. This is problematic... but it's also quite interesting. Fortunately, this world is at a low level, so powerful cultivators probably don't even know of its existence."
Tiamat watched the information flow on the panel, her scales making a soft sound as she moved. "We'll just pretend everything is fine. We'll keep an eye on Strax and try to assist him... When we have bodies, we can simply erase the System's trace and keep it hidden." Ouroboros commented.
"Agreed." Tiamat replied, noting that in many years, this was one of the few times she and Ouroboros spoke without exchanging barbs, just pure concern and rationality... "Protecting him will be our goal."