The Allbright System - A Sci-Fi Progression LitRPG Story

Watching Selene disappear through the door and hearing it click shut behind her, Thea felt a wave of exhaustion crash over her, unlike anything she had ever experienced.

Her legs wobbled beneath her as she stumbled back to the armchair, collapsing into it with a heavy sigh. The weight of everything that had transpired in the past hour pressed down on her like a physical burden, leaving her utterly drained.

The emotional rollercoaster she had been on, from the moment she had been respawned in this room, had taken a toll that she was only beginning to comprehend.

So much had happened in such a short time—revelations, negotiations, and the overwhelming offers from Councillor Lumis.

The promise of resources and opportunities that seemed far too good to be true, after feeling so abandoned by the UHF, left her with a confusing mix of gratitude, suspicion, and something else she couldn’t quite name.

Her thoughts swirled in a chaotic mess as she tried to make sense of it all.

Thea slumped deeper into the armchair, her body refusing to obey her commands to sit up straight. She muttered to herself, trying to shake off the fog of exhaustion, “So the assessment is truly—finally—over, huh?”

But even the relief of that thought did little to revive her.

She could barely muster the energy to right herself in the chair, instead lying back, defeated.

“I’d kill for a hot shower right about now…” she mumbled, her voice trailing off as she imagined the soothing heat washing away the tension in her muscles.

“That could be arranged,” came the sudden, disembodied voice of the Sovereign, startling Thea so much that she leaped out of her seat before finally remembering that the AI was always watching, always listening.

‘Right… Forgot about that for a second…’ she thought, feeling a bit foolish.

Tentatively, she responded, “Ehh… Sure? If you would be so kind…? What do I do?”

She took a few hesitant steps towards the centre of the room, unsure of how to proceed.

Talking to the Sovereign always felt strange to her—addressing a presence without a face, without a direction. She found herself glancing upwards, as if expecting to find a camera or some sign of where the AI was focused.

But before she could dwell on the oddness of it all, the room around her transformed.

In an instant, the psychologist's office vanished, replaced by a lavish, opulent space that took her breath away.

The room was massive, far grander than any shower she had ever seen, with rich decorations that spoke of luxury beyond her wildest dreams.

The warm, humid air was filled with the faint scent of floral body wash, and the promise of a hot, soothing shower enveloped her like a comforting embrace.

“Fuck me…” she whispered, eyes wide as she took in the sheer extravagance of the space around her.

Gone were the broken, frozen remnants of the office, replaced by a haven of warmth and indulgence. It was as if she had stepped into a palace, a place so far removed from her reality that she could hardly believe it was real.

But as the warmth began to seep into her tired bones, Thea allowed herself to believe, if only for a moment, that she had earned this small respite.

Eager to explore this magical place, she started walking around and taking in her surroundings.

The walls around here were made of a shimmering, iridescent material that seemed to shift in colour as she moved, reflecting soft hues of gold, silver, and deep blues, creating a mesmerising, almost hypnotic effect.

The floor beneath her feet was radiating a strange warmth, a seamless expanse of a sleek, glass-like substance that seemed to pulse gently with each step she took and give ever so slightly, as if responding to her very presence.

Everywhere she looked, there were details that screamed excess and luxury.

The showerheads, if they could even be called that, were sleek, metallic, pyramid-like structures that seemed to defy gravity, suspended in mid-air with no visible support.

They glowed faintly, and Thea could just make out tiny, intricate circuits running through them as she got closer to inspect them, hinting at technology far beyond anything she had ever encountered.

As she wandered even deeper into the room, she noticed a row of cabinets built into the walls, each one seamlessly integrated into the shimmering surface, similar to the ones used for the respawn chambers across the entire UHF.

The cabinets opened with a soft hiss as she approached and gently put her hand onto the iridescent wall, revealing neatly folded towels made of the softest fabric she had ever touched, their texture more like tactile air than anything physical.

Alongside them were robes that practically glowed with the same ethereal quality as the walls, embroidered with patterns that shifted and changed depending on the angle from which she looked at them.

‘Where do I even begin with all of this…?’ she wondered, feeling more than a little overwhelmed by the sheer scale and luxury of everything.

She hesitated for a moment, unsure of where to change out of her clothes, before noticing a small alcove off to the side.

Moving towards it, she quickly realised that it seemed to be a dressing area, complete with a plush, cushioned bench and a mirror that, upon closer inspection, wasn’t just reflecting her image, but also scanning her.

The mirror projected a holographic interface with a selection of clothing options she could change into afterward, each one more lavish and comfortable-looking than the last.

Gingerly, Thea stepped into the alcove, feeling a bit out of her depth as she began to undress.

She couldn’t help but feel a little self-conscious under the high-tech scrutiny of the mirror, but it didn’t take long for her practical side to take over.

This was far too good an opportunity to waste by being shy for nobody.

She neatly folded her uniform and placed it on the bench, then reached for one of the robes, marvelling at how the fabric seemed to conform to her body immediately, adjusting itself for a perfect fit before she even tied the belt.

Once she was ready, she stepped back into the main room and approached the shower area.

The controls, if they could even be called that, were unlike anything she had ever seen—there were no visible buttons or knobs, just a smooth, glowing surface embedded in the wall.

Tentatively, she reached out and touched it, feeling a slight tingle in her fingertips as the surface responded to her touch.

Instantly, a holographic interface sprang to life, displaying an array of options that made her head spin: Temperature settings, water pressure adjustments, different shower types ranging from normal water over steam to more exotic things that Thea didn’t even know how to pronounce, as well as options for different scents and types of cleansing agents, all controlled with a simple wave of her hand.

Taking off the robe again and setting it aside on a stool that had magically appeared next to her, she started fumbling with the settings for a few moments, feeling a little out of her depth, until she found something that seemed somewhat familiar, but even more importantly, comfortable.

The water—or whatever it was, as it didn’t quite feel like the water that Thea knew—began to flow, cascading from the suspended, hovering shower heads that slowly rotated around her in a soft, warm rain that enveloped her in instant comfort.

The sensation was unlike anything she had ever felt—gentle yet invigorating, soothing her sore muscles while also waking up parts of her that had felt deadened by exhaustion.

The water was more than just warm too—it seemed to carry a subtle electric charge, a gentle current that tingled against her skin, leaving her feeling revitalised in a way that was almost magical.

Thea let out a contented sigh as she stood under the stream, letting it wash away the imaginary grime and very real stress and exhaustion of the past hours and weeks.

The Sovereign had provided her with an oasis of peace and relaxation, and for a brief moment, all the chaos and uncertainty of the past few weeks faded away, leaving her with nothing but a sense of profound contentment.

Inundated with the comforting heat of the hot water massaging her weary bones and muscles, Thea’s mind finally had a moment to reflect.

‘I’ll need to check in with Kara about all these concessions and remuneration offers… Her insights will be invaluable on what to do with all of this.’

The thought of her friend brought a wave of both comfort and concern.

She couldn’t help but wonder how the rest of Alpha Squad was faring. According to Selene, the assessment hadn’t quite ended yet, but it would in the next few hours or days.

Had they managed to pull through without her?

Were they able to eliminate the Psyker that had taken her by surprise?

Had they avenged her, or had they fallen victim to the same ambush?

The uncertainty gnawed at her, a persistent ache that even the soothing water couldn’t wash away. The worry simmered beneath the surface, refusing to be ignored.

But what could she do? She was isolated here, with no direct line to her team, no way to figure out what was going on.

‘…Unless…?’

Directing her voice toward the ceiling, Thea asked, “Sovereign, can you tell me the status of the rest of Alpha Squad and how they’re doing in the assessment?”

The AI’s response was swift and, unsurprisingly, guarded. “I am sorry, Thea. I am not at liberty to disclose that kind of information while the assessment is still ongoing.”

A heavy sigh escaped her lips, and her shoulders slumped slightly under the weight of her disappointment.

‘Of course, that would’ve been too easy,’ she thought, resigned to the limitations placed upon her.

But then, unexpectedly, the Sovereign continued, “However, I could attempt to connect you for a brief conversation with any members of your squad, provided they are not currently engaged in the assessment. They would, of course, be unable to respond, given that they would be undergoing psychological debriefing.”

Thea’s eyebrows shot up in surprise as she stared at the ceiling, processing the Sovereign’s words very carefully. ‘Did… did the Sovereign just give me a way around its own restrictions on disclosing information? Is that… is that even legal? I mean, it must be, otherwise, it wouldn’t offer it, but still… What the fuck?’

She was flabbergasted by this unexpected twist.

It was a loophole—subtle, but there—and one that the AI had all but handed to her on a silver platter. Thea couldn’t help but marvel at the simple cleverness of it, the way the Sovereign had navigated its own limitations to provide her with a solution she hadn’t even known to ask for.

Shrugging, not seeing any reason to refuse the opportunity, Thea spoke up again, “Sovereign, please connect me to any members of Alpha Squad for a conversation.”

“Very well,” the AI responded promptly, and within seconds, a holographic window materialised before her, displaying a group call with four members.

Thea’s heart sank as she noticed the number—four members.

Relief mingled with concern as she realised that Karania and Isabella were still in the assessment. A sigh of both relief and worry escaped her lips as she pondered the situation.

‘So Karania and Isabella are still inside… I’ll definitely need to ask them what happened after I died. How the fuck did the two of them end up being the last ones standing? I would’ve expected Lucas, with his heavy armour and shield, or even Desmond, given his role. Isabella, on the other hand… She was the first one I thought would go after me, considering she’d have to take on even more attention from enemies after I was out of the fight. Very odd,’ Thea mused as the call displayed a large, glaring red “NO REPLIES” before the window vanished.

“Thank you, Sovereign,” she offered with a small, contented smile.

Thea found herself liking the Sovereign.

Though it was just an AI, it was the first she’d ever interacted with, and she had to admit, it wasn’t a negative experience in the slightest. The Sovereign was always polite, quick to respond, and provided her with everything she could ask for—and more, as evidenced by the luxurious shower she was currently enjoying.

As she leaned back into the warm spray, Thea’s thoughts wandered.

She wondered if there were significant differences in behaviour among ship AIs or if they were all essentially the same. A curious thought, but she hesitated to ask the Sovereign directly, sensing it might be a bit too intrusive.

After all, nobody liked being questioned about their true nature, especially in comparison to others. While the AI might not have emotions, Thea certainly did, and she had no desire to impose that kind of uncomfortable introspection on herself.

Instead, Thea decided to drown those thoughts in some overdue System maintenance.

She had not really looked at her System Notifications since the main assault on Nova Tertius over a week ago; there was quite a lot queued up and it was time to deal with it—it definitely wasn’t an excuse to simply continue soaking in the electrifying, hot water.

Definitely not.

With a simple mental command, Thea allowed the deluge of System Notifications to prattle down on her like the hovering showerhead-pyramids around her.