Godspawn Ascendant [LitRPG, Epic Progression Fantasy]

I pressed my back against the damp cavern wall and slid down to my rear. I grimaced as I attempted to comprehend what Dex had just described to me–the procedure I would need to undergo to remove the neural implant from my brain once and for all.

"You will need all of the strength you can possibly muster, Rayden," Dex said after his gruesome description of the removal procedure. "I would recommend you prepare before you reenter Facility Number 502, where you landed the spaceship. There is a pod room in that facility where the neural implant can be extracted."

"Pod room? Like, a room that has one of those machines that Lord Solomon used to create his clones? The same type of machine that created me?"

The exact term the Lord Solomon hologram (a version of the dead god meant to replicate who he had been) had used was where I had "gestated." Instead of growing in the womb of a mother like most people, I had been formed in a machine. That fact was still difficult for me to accept, let alone think about.

"The very same, Rayden. The pods have a multitude of uses, and they have many advanced healing properties."

I swallowed down the rising bile in my throat as I tried not to imagine the sharp metal probes digging through my skull and brain that Dex had described. However, I would need to face them to get this implant out of my head.

"If I need to be strong," I thought to Dex, "is it going to hurt?"

Dex paused for much too long, then finally said, "Hopefully not too much. The procedures performed with these pods have the capabilities to put patients to sleep or numb the procedural areas. However, your recovery may take quite some time. I would recommend you level up as much as you can before you attempt the removal."

I nodded to myself. "Sounds like a plan. And then we leave this planet."

"Yes, Rayden. I am sensing enmity here. Your neural implant blocking me from your mind is a worrying setback. I originally found the Euridice statues and obvious Euridice worshippers on this planet as not something to be overly concerned about, but the lack of Lord Solomon's influence on a planet he created himself, including the empty treasure room in the cavern you delved, and the damage from the mandatory neural implant to your brain, are things to consider."

"How do we leave? Should we take the spaceship that brought us here?"

"Yes, Rayden. That is our best option. It should, more than likely, be refueled by now."

I knew enough about Lord Solomon's advanced technology to determine that my own lack of technological comprehension didn't detract from the fact that the grand spaceship could somehow refuel itself. I felt no need to ask how–I trusted Dex.

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I rose to my feet and stretched out my calves with a groan. My body continued to ache from my earlier crash. I still didn't know if I could handle a cultivation session tonight. But that was frustrating. Any extra time I had to stay here was less than ideal.

Even the friendships I had made during my time at the academy were fading. Sarah, my friend from my Mastering Group Combat class, hadn't spoken to me since I'd cowardly spurned her on what I guess had been a date. I also hadn't had much time to talk to Emmett, my student companion assigned to me to help with the ins and outs of the academy. My Scout Support shifts, joining Elite Group #1, classes, and finding that first cavern with Cinthara had taken up almost all of my time.

And then there was Cinthara…. We hadn't been incredibly friendly in the beginning–understandably. But I had started to grow… I don't know the right word for how I felt for her. Fond? No. I enjoyed spending time with her, and I thought she'd at least started to feel the same way. However, our encounter in the infirmary had made me question all of that.

Even Nic was getting on my nerves. All trust I might have had for him was beginning to dissipate, and I wanted less and less to do with him. Why had he visited Cinthara in the infirmary? And why had she acted so cold toward me after the fact? Things didn't add up, and it all had me on edge.

I needed to accept the fact that the only companionship I could safely have was Codex. And if that were the case, getting the neural implant out of my head as soon as possible and restoring Dex to his full capacity was vital.

"I will try to get more sleep tonight," I said to Dex as I moved to leave the cavern, "and cultivate first thing in the morning. Then we'll get this thing out of my brain."

"Very good, Rayden. And soon after, we will make the necessary plans to leave."

My back straightened without the thought of doing so. Relief washed over me, temporarily taking away my worries and even the exhaustion pummeling me into submission. Leaving was the right decision. I knew that now, without a doubt.

I reached the end of the path toward the entrance to the cavern. With just two more steps, Dex would be gone again. I hesitated, the apprehension of losing my invaluable AI companion taking hold of me like a vice.

"Rayden? Are you all right?"

"I just…" I gulped. "I'm afraid to say goodbye to you again."

"Afraid? Logically speaking, that is an ill-suited emotion. Recovering our ability to communicate and my full functions is a simple, albeit painful, but very quick process. We will speak again. Soon, in fact."

I grinned. Dex wasn't the most comforting friend, but his straightforward, no-nonsense mind brought me consolation all the same. And I missed it every day it wasn't there.

"Goodbye then, Dex. I'll talk to you soon."

"Goodbye, Rayden."

With a deep breath, I stepped through the opening I'd made in the wall earlier with just a touch of my hands. As soon as I passed the opening, the wall rematerialized in another puff of smoke behind me.

"Dex?" I called.

Awkward silence is even worse when it's in your head. Even my thoughts were muted as I searched for Codex.

"Are you there?"

No answer.

I rubbed my eyes with a sigh. My head had started to hurt again. The bits of sky I could see from inside the cavern entrance had begun to light up in lighter blues and purples, indicating the slow yet real approach of dawn. I needed to get back to my dormitory quickly if I wanted any sleep.

I peered out into the night, head poking out of the hole boring into the sand dune that contained the cavern. I couldn't see the landwalker from before, or any other monster, anywhere. Thank the gods.

I crawled back out into the tropic desert, shivering against the heavy night winds that blew grains of sand into my eyes.

I barely took one step back in the direction of the city before I heard a deep voice whisper behind me, "Hello, Rayden."