Unchosen Champion

“Haah…” Coop slowly exhaled, observing the shimmering horizon while acknowledging the feeling of reluctance that crept into his subconscious like a growing shadow.

Crossing through the Underlayer on his own felt lonelier than ever. Knowing that he was leaving such a supportive system behind made the sense of isolation that much more distinct. Coop already missed the uniquely helpful guides that had turned his trip through Europe into a personalized tour, complete with every amenity available to aid with his grinds, but there was nothing left for him to do there.

Pausing for a moment, he held his spear in both hands, arms straight out in front of his chest. He raised the weapon up before pulling it all the way behind his head until he touched his back. Rotating his shoulders, the exercise gave him a satisfying stretch before he went into his next mistjump.

Coop wasn’t naive enough to believe the representatives of the EEC had been helping him for entirely altruistic reasons anyway. Obviously, he was providing an enormous benefit by dealing with the Primal Construct invasions for them. He took on all the risk associated with the Underlayer Event on their behalf. Of course, that was what he had signed up for when he left Ghost Reef behind.

Still, the least they could do was hook him up with some snacks. He chuckled to himself, glad that they had recognized that much as he set his feet and sent his spear flying down the vast tunnel.

The EEC already had a policy to be friendly toward both Coop and Ghost Reef, just based on the reputation he and his allies had built with their presence on leaderboards. Once they actually met Coop, his demonstration of strength justifiably reinforced their commitment to staying on his good side. They knew as well as anyone that his support was invaluable, and they did their best to avoid seeming ungrateful the entire time Coop interacted with them.

Their behavior wasn’t forced by the system either. Regardless of his level, they made their own judgment, based on the disposition of their society. He supposed that was one of the problems with humans, having already established value systems that may or may not conflict with those of the galactic community. They had grown too independent to easily conform to the broader norms without asking questions and comparing them to their own principles. Whether there was an objective truth to morality didn’t really matter to someone like Coop. The fact was that if something seemed wrong to him, crossing some undefined line, he didn’t want to have to tolerate it.

Coop shrugged to himself, unwrapping a chocolate while assuming most people would feel the same way.

In any case, he had to admit that the EEC had done a good job getting on his good side, considering how much he would have liked to have them follow along and provide the same support elsewhere. He really felt appreciated, which was part of the reason why leaving was weighing upon his thoughts.

However, Marcus would be responsible for establishing proper diplomatic channels, not Coop. Coop was merely carrying a message regarding the Lighthouse and the Eradication Protocol while properly illustrating the depths of Ghost Reef’s power. They had received most of the message before he had arrived, just by watching the leaderboards, but a little reinforcement wasn’t a problem for Coop, and now they had some future threats to consider.

There were less regular citizens available to impress while he was in Europe, but there were enough regular low-level workers to have an effect. While Coop was polite toward them and always appreciative toward their offers to help, he was absolutely ruthless when it came to combat. He left no room for doubt that he was on a level that meant direct opposition would be absurd. Coop was sure they would talk about him after he was gone, and not always in official settings. Empress City had taught him the power of rumors, and he was more conscious of planting the seeds to build Ghost Reef’s reputation as he traveled the world.

After catching his spear, surveying his surroundings, then taking another running start before launching his weapon, he stretched his neck and sighed again, waiting for the weapon to travel through miles of pure mana. The emptiness he sensed within was like a migraine that grew in the absence of combat or comfort. Coop grunted at the observation.