Seducing the Guideverse With My System — Raising an Anomaly [BL]

’Is that...’ Ambrose spent several quiet seconds staring at the older Ambrose as he and the winged monkeys closed in on their group. ’... Is that really Orion? Like the way he’s supposed to look as an adult?’

[Yep.] Aura replied mentally despite her physical manifestation standing beside him.

[But now I’m lost. The monkeys are acting the same way the guys at Bikini Bottom were around our Orion... can’t believe I said Bikini Bottom in a serious context.]

’And everything we’ve seen before is supposed to be his Dreamscape, ’ Ambrose’s grip tightened around his son. ’So what the hell is happening and which one is truly Orion’s consciousness?’

"Uhm," Gabriel raised his hands before the winged monkeys could draw any closer. "We mean absolutely no harm. We didn’t mean to trespass into your territory or—"

"Oh, Uncle Gabriel." The older Orion beamed, zero trace of animosity behind his tone. "I know that. I also know who you all are and that this is all a dream."

The winged monkeys froze at that last part. One of them snapped his neck to him.

"Your Majesty, what do you mean by—"

Older Orion didn’t let him finish.

A wave of his hand and the winged monkeys froze like sculptures made flesh.

Not only them but the entire kingdom—from the knights to the commoners in the villages to even the dragons roaring above.

All of them stayed perfectly still like someone clicked pause on a badly written fantasy show.

Seeing this, older Orion folded his arms in front of his chest. "I’ve been expecting you all since you breached my dreamscape."

Viktor frowned. "What do you mean YOUR dreamscape?" He scoffed, pointing at little Orion. "You’re nothing but another dream. This guy right here is the real owner of the dream."

[Something feels wrong.]

’You’re telling me.’ Ambrose’s eyes narrowed. ’Why does it feel like this older Orion is telling the truth?’

[And so is the boy in your arms...]

Both of them turned to each other, exchanging a quick but tense look.

"Orion. Buddy?" Devon grabbed Ambrose’s shoulder, pulling close to his boy. "I know you’re scared right now, but can you like... change this dream again? Or maybe take us back?"

As the little boy blinked helplessly, still sulking with his face buried in Ambrose’s chest, older Orion chuckled.

It was far from a child’s laugh, but it still managed to carry the same carefree air.

"Oh, papa." Older Orion shook his head. "You’re trying to get away from me, aren’t you?" His eyes scanned past all their faces. "Actually, you’re all trying to escape me. Escape all of... this."

Despite everything being frozen, his robes managed to billow around him, his voice gaining a serious edge.

"But you can’t. Not if you want me to wake up."

Viktor sneered. "For the last time, you’re NOT our Orion."

"But I am." Older Orion’s tone shifted to something dark. "I’m the part of his consciousness split by his psyche after all the trauma. All the nightmares. Kidnappings. Death."

Ambrose’s breath hitched.

Suddenly it all made sense.

Orion’s dream wasn’t holding him back from waking up. No, the boy should be stronger than that.

All this time HE’S been holding himself back. Another split personality created from past trauma.

The revelation was a punch to the gut.

What the fuck did he allow to grow all this time?

★★★★★

Several kilometres away, the faces of the world’s most influential Hunter Federation presidents hovered across a secured holographic conference room.

Each projection carried the same expressions.

Exhaustion and fear.

President Josiah rested both hands atop the polished conference table, allowing the silence to linger after the latest casualty report disappeared from the centre of the room.

"Status updates, ladies and gentlemen." He finally said.

The president of France’s Federation spoke first.

"Our Hunters have secured Paris’ central districts, but containment continues to fail. Every civilian rescued creates another point of infection. We’ve confirmed transmission occurs through bites alone."

Japan’s representative nodded grimly.

"The same applies here. There are no toxins. No foreign aether signature. No parasites. We’ve dissected multiple specimens..." His jaw tightened. "...Nothing explains how the infection spreads."

"Ghana is experiencing identical results," another president added. "Medical Espers have exhausted every healing ability available. Purification skills are ineffective. Anti-curse specialists found no curse and our biologists found no pathogen."

"It is as though," England’s Federation President murmured, "the plague simply... exists."

The room fell quiet again.

Every report pointed toward the same impossible conclusion.

A zombie could bite ten people and hours later, those ten would rise. Yet no infection could be traced inside their bodies.

Josiah slowly closed the report before him. "Our casualty count?"

"The latest estimate places global civilian deaths above two hundred thousand," someone answered quietly. "The number continues rising by the minute."

"And our Hunters?"

Another uncomfortable silence.

"They’re hesitating." That answer came from Australia’s representative. "They still recognise the infected as civilians. Many refuse to land killing blows unless necessary."

"So do ours." Another admitted.

"They’re hoping someone discovers a cure."

Josiah shut his eyes.

He understood. Every one of those monsters had once been someone’s child. Someone’s spouse. Someone’s friend.

Asking Hunters to slaughter them wasn’t simply issuing another battlefield command.

It was asking them to kill innocent people wearing familiar faces.

When he opened his eyes again, whatever sympathy lingered there had hardened into resolve.

"We cannot afford that anymore."

Every projection turned toward him.

"If containment continues failing at this rate, there won’t be anyone left to save." His voice remained calm despite the weight behind every word. "Effective immediately, I’ll be authorising every Hunter under my Federation to eliminate infected targets on sight."

No one interrupted.

"It is a terrible order," Josiah continued solemnly, "but allowing sentiment to cost millions more lives would be an even greater tragedy. And from the reports you all have given... I think it would be wise to follow suit."

One by one, heads nodded reluctantly.

The decision had been made.

After another moment, India’s Federation President broke the silence. "What about the Pantheon?"

Several eyes shifted back to Josiah.

He leaned back in his chair, fingers interlocked.

"They are as elusive as ever." A weary sigh escaped him. "There are no confirmed sightings or reports of them yet. But if history has taught us anything..." His gaze settled on the crimson sky visible through the windows behind him. "...it’s that they’re out there somewhere."

He paused.

"And I have no doubt they’re already trying to deduce a solution before the rest of us even realise what the real problem is."

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