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ArabicChat Group Crossover: My System Simulates Infinite Anime Worlds — Chapter 2
Chapter 2: A Month of Lives and Deaths
He knew he had been reborn.
It was a parallel world, remarkably similar to the one he’d left behind. And by some stroke of fortune, he had been reborn in the nation of Shenzhou, in what was once China.
But this world was different from his original.
This world had already experienced a spiritual energy reawakening, and with it came invasions from other dimensions. It was just that the invaders’ timing, back when they first arrived, could not have been worse.
At that time, the legendary Zhang Sanfeng was nearing the end of his natural lifespan. But as spiritual energy phenomena began to appear worldwide, he gained a second lease on life. So, when a spatial channel descended one day, he was ready.
He found one such channel and, with a single thrust of his sword, tore straight through the dimensional veil. The ensuing slaughter left the invading alien races trembling in terror.
In the wake of his feat, other extraordinarily talented individuals emerged across the land of Shenzhou. Essentially, a single master stood guard over each major dimensional rift.
Although these guardians were formidable, countless other rifts, both large and small, had also appeared, leading to significant losses in the early days. It was only later, as the number of superhumans increased, that all the channels were brought under control.
In a way, those rifts, once a threat, had become a source of nourishment, fueling the world’s growth in power. After all, the demonic beasts from the connected worlds weren’t particularly strong. Most were merely Level One or Level Two creatures, lacking true intelligence. With skillful positioning and tactics, they could be farmed.
Later, a new profession of Array Masters analyzed the spatial channels and designed powerful formations to be placed before each one. These controlled dimensions came to be known as “secret realms,” though they remained perilous places.
Nagumo, reflecting on this history, was left speechless.
The invaders who first opened those portals had simply drawn the shortest of straws. One had to understand, it was the world that had limited Zhang Sanfeng’s development, not the other way around. It was an era overflowing with martial spirit, even if the minds of its emperors had all been questionable.
After several hundred years of development, the world had changed. A certain island nation, lacking the strength to compete, was eventually absorbed and became part of Chinese territory. The methods for cultivating superhuman power also diversified.
The mainstream paths remained martial arts and qi cultivation. Neither was definitively stronger than the other; they were considered evenly matched. However, qi cultivators often looked down on martial artists, dismissing them as crude warriors. This description wasn’t entirely wrong; most martial arts practitioners were staunch believers in their own strength and little else.
His own sharp mind told him he needed to harness this extraordinary power. Other cultivation methods had emerged in recent years, but they were generally looked down upon by both martial artists and immortal cultivators. The reasons for this were complex, touching upon certain international issues best left unmentioned.
As time went on, people found the old titles and ranks cumbersome. For the sake of convenience and uniformity, power levels were divided into a clear hierarchy: One to Nine Stars, with each Star further divided into nine stages.
Nagumo thought back to the day of his aptitude test. He had just turned six. He went to the state-managed guild to have his aptitude tested and, hopefully, awaken a supernatural ability. He remembered the line of chattering children, all of them little sprouts full of dreams of becoming the heroes they saw on television.
Nagumo had also hoped the test might finally awaken his own ‘golden finger’—his transmigrator’s cheat.
Unfortunately, no such cheat awakened that day. His aptitude was rated above average, well-suited for martial arts. The supernatural ability he awakened was a C-grade lightning-type power.
This was already an excellent result, far better than most. The majority of people would be overjoyed to have an aptitude rated merely average. Awakening a supernatural ability at all was a one-in-a-hundred chance. Awakening a C-grade ability was even rarer, perhaps one in a thousand. also, his supernatural ability provided a bonus to his aptitude. With the right cultivation technique, his potential could be considered superior.
As for suitable techniques, they were easy enough to obtain. After all, once everyone reached adulthood, they were required to serve a term on the front lines until they had earned enough merit points to return. Alternatively, one could pay a vast amount of resources to avoid service, though it would be a black mark on one’s record.
From that day on, Nagumo lived a stable life of studying, training, and cultivating. He wished he could split a single day into a month’s worth of time. As for things like romance, that was a concern for the future. Reaching a certain level in martial arts or qi cultivation extended one’s lifespan, after all. If you didn’t work hard when you were young, you would regret it when you were old.
Besides, he had to wait until his strength was greater. A mischievous thought flickered through his mind. Once he was powerful enough, wouldn’t pursuing a few pretty girls be effortless?
Nagumo looked at the translucent light screen floating before him. He thought back to the day he had first obtained the system a month ago, and his eyes grew melancholic. He let out another heavy sigh.
He was experiencing the pain of separation, one of the eight great sufferings of life.
That day, he’d come home from school to find military vehicles parked outside his house. Several uniformed officers were inside. They stayed for a short while, explained the situation with grim professionalism, and then left.
He received a First-Class Merit medal, a Martyr’s Child certificate, and a substantial pension. He was also granted an additional monthly resource allowance that would continue until he turned twenty.
At the time, Nagumo’s world had shattered. He had lived with his parents in this life for over a decade, and they had been very good to him.
Then, the system arrived.
Nagumo couldn’t help but feel the system had come far too late. It felt like a cruel joke. ‘My parents are sacrificed, and my power becomes unlimited.’ The classic, bitter trope.
A flash of sadness crossed Nagumo’s eyes. No matter what, they were his family in this world.
He then recalled the four simulations he had gone through over the past month. Three of them had been restored by the system automatically. The fourth, he had paid for with the resources from his first monthly allowance. The exchange rate for paid simulations was brutally steep.
That was ten mid-grade spirit stones. One mid-grade spirit stone was worth a hundred low-grade ones. A full one thousand low-grade spirit stones, all for a single simulation attempt. If the rewards hadn’t felt so worthwhile, he would have suspected the system was taking a massive kickback.
The first simulation earned a C rating. It was a Western fantasy world filled with dungeons. He died in one of those dungeons during an adventure. The rewards: ‘Improved lightning-type ability, slight increase in physique, and one exquisitely crafted dagger.’ The simulation had boosted his lightning-type supernatural ability from C-grade to the peak of B-grade, roughly equivalent to a Level 4 lightning-type esper from A Certain Magical Index. The specific details of that simulated world had become hazy, but the muscle memory from its combat remained sharp. He even remembered his companions’ names and couldn’t help but wonder how they were doing.
The second simulation was rated B. It was an ancient world. The world was in a desperate state, and his identity was that of a mere commoner. The old saying was painfully apt: ‘Behind vermilion gates, meat and wine go to waste, while on the road lie the bones of those frozen to death.’ It wasn’t that the people couldn’t make a living; it was that the nobility hoarded all the wealth and grain.
So, he gathered some peasants, raided a wealthy household, and seized their grain. Deciding to go all the way, driven by a fervent passion, he ignited the spark of a grand and spectacular peasant uprising. The campaign was surprisingly smooth, as if blessed by heaven itself. They eliminated basically every noble family they came across.
Finally, as they attacked the imperial city, on the very verge of success, his luck ran out. Fiery meteors streaked across the sky. A meteor shower, to be precise. His army of a million was annihilated by the celestial bombardment, and the largest meteor of all landed squarely on his head.
After the simulation ended, Nagumo felt utterly cheated. The dynasty wasn’t one he recognized from his history books. But he knew the emperor’s name: Liu Xiu, the so-called Chosen One.
So that was it. He had been cast in the role of Wang Mang, the usurper, or perhaps Zhang Jiao, the rebel leader.
The rewards were a significant increase to his physique, 50% of the cultivation base from the simulated world, an ability called ‘Lightning Body,’ and a complete compendium of talismans. Thanks to the Lightning Body, his supernatural ability also jumped from B-grade to A-grade, granting him control over minor weather phenomena and allowing him to comprehend 10% of the Concept of Thunder.
As for how he obtained this Lightning Body, Nagumo knew exactly how. In that simulated world, he had been accidentally struck by lightning three times and somehow survived. It was only after being struck that his progress in learning spells had advanced by leaps and bounds.
Regarding the half-share of his simulated cultivation, Nagumo didn’t choose to absorb it directly. Instead, he chose to disperse it throughout his limbs and bones, using the raw energy to reforge his physical vessel from the ground up, laying a truly solid foundation. A tall building must rise from firm ground.
The talisman compendium wasn’t particularly useful. While parts of his memory were blurred, his combat experience and the knowledge he had learned were retained. This knowledge, however, would be deleted before the next simulation began. The retention of memories seemed to be random.
As for drawing talismans to make money? The regulations in this world were extremely strict. Black markets existed, but Nagumo had no desire to risk his life for a few more simulation chances. The saying might be ‘go big or go home,’ but what if ‘going home’ meant returning in an urn?
Besides, the system recovered three simulation chances a month, roughly one every ten days. He still had over two years until adulthood. There was no need to rush and reveal his talents; he could take it slow. You can’t become a giant in a single bite. If he progressed too quickly, ordinary people would surely suspect he’d had some great opportunity, and he might attract the unwanted attention of old monsters. Not to mention the Demon God Sect, a cult that worshiped fierce beasts and demon races, might send assassins after him.
In short, if he could just lay low for half a year, he should have barely enough power to defend himself.
The third simulation was fairly average. That time, he became a monk. Due to a certain trait he had chosen, he possessed great power but suffered from a terminal illness. Simply put, he had traded his lifespan for strength.
He decided to use his limited time and power to help as many people as he could. Along the way, he aided common folk, subdued demons, and manifested as a wrathful vajra. As for the saying, ‘Lay down the butcher’s knife and attain Buddhahood on the spot’—that was the Buddha’s business. His job was simply to send them to meet the Buddha.
During a sea voyage, he was caught in a shipwreck and washed ashore on Sakura Island during a certain historical period. After learning the local language, he gave himself a local name, deciding to do as the Romans did. He found many local demons, likely escapees from the mainland. After robbing a few of them and confiscating their private property, he wandered aimlessly.
One day, he entered a bamboo forest and stumbled upon a section of bamboo that was glowing with a soft, ethereal light. Assuming some demon was hiding inside, he split it open with a single, decisive hand-chop.
Inside was a tiny doll of a girl, exquisitely beautiful, as if carved from jade. A distant memory surfaced: the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, the story of Princess Kaguya.
In the end, he built a house in that bamboo forest and raised the child.
The child grew with astonishing speed, changing day by day. Soon, she looked like a seven or eight-year-old and was running all over the place. She was constantly demanding piggyback rides and delicious treats. If he refused, she would simply sidle up to him, blinking her big, impossibly cute eyes.
Since he didn’t have much life left anyway, he indulged her every request, wanting to give her an unforgettable childhood. Unbeknownst to her, he also harbored another thought. He wondered what would become of her after he was gone. Although he wouldn’t be there to see it, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of dark anticipation. Could he, in his final days, cultivate a future boss-level character?
At the time, he sensed a few demons peeping from the shadows, so he sent a few Infinite Divine Palms their way. He wasn’t sure if he hit them, but the feeling suggested he had. He even felt his hand grab something decidedly soft, leaving a faint, fragrant scent lingering on his palm.
Later, the little girl actually sneaked out to play. When he brought her back, she was incredibly clingy and spoiled, refusing to let go of him. What could he do but forgive her? She was particularly fond of acting spoiled.
After the little girl made a friend, some nobles—men with human faces but the hearts of beasts—laid eyes on her. After all, men are fundamentally creatures who think with their lower bodies. Beyond money and power, all that remains is the pursuit of beautiful women.
They came to propose marriage. The little girl gave them several impossible tasks.
But Nagumo, at the time, didn’t think they were so difficult.
The Robe of the Fire-Rat? Fire-rats were harming the crops; he had already wiped out a nest. The clothes, shoes, and pants he wore were all made from their pelts.
The stone begging bowl of the Buddha from Tianzhu? He seemed to have that, too. It was a reward from the emperor after he had earned merit for slaying demons, during which he was also granted the title of Nation-Protecting Holy Monk.
The jewel from the dragon’s neck? When he had washed ashore, he had found a colorful, pearl-like object in his hand. It was an item brimming with energy, capable of extending one’s lifespan.
The Cowry Shell of the Swallow? He seemed to have that as well. Back in Shenzhou, while slaying demons, he had learned that there were good demons and bad ones. After saving a swallow demon, she had given him a shell, explaining it was a special Child-Calming Shell of their kind. It could only be given willingly; it was impossible to take by force.
Only the Jeweled Branch of Hourai was troublesome; Nagumo really didn’t have that.
After the suitors left, he placed the four items before the little girl. Nagumo could just imagine her jaw hitting the floor. The thought alone was deeply amusing.
Three peaceful years passed. The little girl was completely spoiled by him. Outside, she was a noble princess; at home, she was a complete shut-in, often rolling on the floor complaining, “Boring, boring, so boring.”
Then, all the suitors who had sought the treasures returned. But the little girl dealt with them all, as what they brought were nothing but counterfeits and fakes.
By that time, however, his own life was nearing its end. He left a note, along with all those treasures, and departed. They were useless to him, so he left them for the little girl as mementos. He boarded a ship, determined to return to his homeland. Fallen leaves, after all, must return to their roots. His plan to cultivate a boss was left unfinished.
After a long drift across the sea, he finally returned to his homeland. He found a random temple and spent his final days there.
The simulation rating was C+. He hadn’t significantly advanced the era, but he had subdued demons and changed the fates of some people. The rewards were another increase to his physique and a segment of the Jeweled Branch of Hourai.
Then there was the fourth simulation.
The one he had just completed, which received a D rating. Although it was the worst rating of the four, Nagumo felt particularly troubled by it.
Because his childhood friend’s name had been Kurumi Tokisaki. The very same one he used to call his ‘waifu’ while watching the screen in his past life. And the woman whose snow-white thigh he’d clung to in his final moments… that had to be Mio Takamiya.
Nagumo recalled, as consciousness faded, that his desperate grip had accidentally pulled down her panties. He hadn’t seen her expression at all. She might desecrate his corpse for that, but it wasn’t like he’d be around to care.
Nagumo thought of his past life watching Date A Live, of Kurumi’s appearance, and sighed heavily again. He hoped she could live a peaceful life.
He thought about tomorrow. The military would be distributing resources, and part of his pension would be released. It was just enough to top up his account and purchase more simulation attempts. The benefits from the simulations were far greater than what he could achieve through his own cultivation.
He wondered how many simulation chances those ten whole mid-grade spirit stones could buy.
With that thought, Nagumo drifted into sleep. A single simulation was exhausting. With his current mental state, it would probably take two days to fully recover. It was like working overtime for too long; the moment he was in a relaxing environment, he just wanted to lie in bed like a salted fish, utterly spent.