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4.58% Reborn: My Two Systems at War / Chapter 4: The Freedom Run

Chapter 4: The Freedom Run

The ashen-blonde girl stared at the trembling woman in the corner. In the dimness of the room, her eyes emitted a faint, eerie glow, her hand pointing at the nurse. Yet, she hesitated for a moment, something within her stopping her from acting.

'No, she was always good to me... I don't really want to hurt her. But... no, a few points are not enough to justify killing one of the few that treated me like a human instead of an animal.'

Tia slowly lowered her hand and smiled at the scared nurse, her hand still trembling after killing four people.

"You can go. I can repay a kindness." The nurse remained motionless, trapped in a state of paralyzing terror, her body curled up in the corner, frozen with fear.

Tia's surroundings blurred as panic surged through her mind, a sinking realization of the dire situation she found herself in. With urgency fueling her actions, she swiftly approached the lifeless doctor, her hand reaching into the rubbery white coat pocket to retrieve a keycard.

'As always, he kept it in the same pocket... I am now a murderer... I must escape before the planetary guard arrives.'

She immediately turned, quickly running down the dark corridors. The darkness enveloped her, punctuated only by the frantic flickering of red emergency lights, the cacophony of unhinged screams, and wild howls reverberating from the adjacent cells of her fellow patients.

Bare feet barely gracing the smooth concrete floor, she darted past a blur of doors and sterile white walls, the world blurring in her wake. Her long hair waved behind her as she ran as fast as her weak body permitted.

Suddenly, a nurse appeared from behind a corner, her eyes going wide in horror when she spotted the blue glowing gun. The tense silence shattered as a steel tray crashed to the floor, its deafening clang resonating through the hallway.

Without hesitation, the girl directed a forceful wave of her hand towards the nurse, an unseen power hurtling her through the air—her body colliding with the unyielding concrete wall.

<<<>>>>

<Basic Telekinesis IV (45%)> --> 49%

<<<>>>>

Tia just looked at her unmoving body, not stopping as she kept running, 'I need to run...'

Her relentless stride ceased abruptly when a translucent glass door obstructed her path. Instinctively, she extended her hand and glided the keycard swiftly through the adjacent reader.

A green light lit up on the electrical lock, and the doors smoothly and quietly slid open.

There was a long spiraling staircase leading up and down behind the doors. Tia stopped, her breath already rugged after sprinting through the hallway. She tensed up at the sounds of heavy boots ascending the staircase.

'Guard, or just a doctor?'

She leaned over the railing, looking into the darkness below her.

A bright green light was quickly ascending the staircase, quickly closing towards her. Her hands holding the gun were shaking, as she was unsure about what to do.

'No, this is the fastest way... I can't turn back to use a different staircase.'

Tia calmed down, stilling her mind as she raised her gun, pointing it down.

'What must be done must be done. I can't be soft if I want to survive in this shitty universe.'

The steps and light were ascending higher and higher, the bright green light becoming brighter.

Soon, a man in a grey uniform with a shiny black tactical vest peered from behind the corner of the staircase, holding a small green glowing handgun.

His night vision's two glowing green eyes fell upon the girl, his arms quickly moving, the green gun moving to aim at her.

The world slowed as the young girl pressed the trigger of her gun.

A bright blue light flashed through the whole staircase, reflecting in the metal railing and the plain white walls. A blue orb of plasma shot out of the gun, heading towards the man.

The man with the gun ducked backward at the last moment, the bolt of plasma closely missing him and hitting the wall behind him.

The impact unleashed an explosion of blue light and heat, scorching the surface and leaving a small crater in the concrete.

Tia immediately tensed, knowing she messed up when she missed the first shot and lost the advantage of the first attack, 'Damn, cheap hitman... why couldn't he bring a better gun.'

The man stuck his gun from behind the corner, and green lights repeatedly flashed through the corridor.

Instinctively, Tia flung herself to the frigid concrete floor, the icy surface providing a stark contrast to her overheated body. The green projectiles whizzed past her, their crackling discharges resonating through the staircase, their radiant bursts momentarily blinding her.

Green sparks showered the vicinity, their searing impact narrowly missing her position.

Prostrate on the ground, panic seized her mind as she was fully aware of her lackluster marksmanship, 'It looks like my systems will have to save me again.'

Summoning all her resolve, her consciousness expanded beyond the confines of her physical form. A charge of kinetic energy surged forth from her outstretched hand, bending the corner of the staircase and colliding with the assailant who had been firing at her. The resulting collision reverberated with a resounding thud and explosive bang.

<<<>>>>

<Basic Telekinesis IV (49%)> --> 56%

<<<>>>>

Tia immediately jumped from her cover, rushing the guard, her bare feet tapping on the concrete floor.

She spotted the man's body, making her breathe out in relief, 'Haha, I have done it; I am closer to my freedom.'

The man was twitching on the ground, his back against the white wall stained with blood. His body was trembling, his vacant gaze fixated upon the ceiling above.

'It was his fault. He should have let me leave. I don't belong here!' Tia closed her eyes and pointed her gun at him. Her hands trembled slightly.

'No, I need the reward. Every bit of strength can help me.' She waved her pale hand.

The man's neck immediately bent at an unnatural angle, making a disgusting snapping sound, his eyes losing their glint.

<<<>>>>

<Basic Telekinesis IV (56%)> --> 62%

<<<>>>>

Without any more delays, she dashed down the staircase, her eyes brightly glowing with all the emotions passing through her heart, 'I am almost free. I can start anew.'

Her heart was pounding louder and louder with each floor she passed, her mind absently counting the numbers written on the walls.

'Three.'

'Two.'

'One.' Finally, she reached the first floor, her mind in a frenzy with her hands trembling in excitement. She had been locked away for years, and now her captivity was coming to an end.

Before her was a long hallway, a smile formed on her face when she spotted the last glass doors before her, the last obstacle between her and her freedom.

The whole hall was empty, illuminated only by the emergency red lights. The reception desk was abandoned with a broken datapad lying shattered on the ground, likely dropped in a rush.

The chilling touch of the bare floor reverberated through Tia's feet, eliciting an involuntary shudder that coursed up her spine.

'What was I thinking? I should have gotten some shoes... I must look insane, running around with a gun and without shoes...'

Suddenly, a bright blue and red light lit up outside, entering through the windows and glass entrance door. Tia raised her free hand, instinctively covering her eyes. The loud sounds of engines came from outside, getting louder and louder with each second.

A blaring mechanical voice echoed through the empty night street, "This is the planetary security bureau. Throw away your weapon, and lie on the ground with your hands behind your head."

'They are faster than I thought...' Tia took a few steps back, her bare feet clapping on the cold floor.

Tiariel felt her heart thump in desperation, and her eyes kept darting around, looking for an opportunity to escape.

'They will surround the whole building before barging in.'

Her eyes glinted slightly as she found her way out.

'Come witch system! Show me your worth!'

Ding!

//

Please select your starter power:

[Apprentice Potionmaking]

[Apprentice Artificyng]

[Apprentice Spellcraft]

//

She already knew what she wanted and needed, her hazy memories working as her guide and helper.

Ding!

//

You have learned [Apprentice Potionmaking]

//

'Thanks! ...old friend.'

A stream of new knowledge flooded her mind like data uploaded to a computer, her eyes shining in bright blue light.

Ding!

//

Please pick your starter recipe:

Shitty Potion of Healing

Subpar Potion of Mana

Low-end Potion of Acid

Weakened Poison of Poisoning

Garbage-level Berserk Poison

...

//

Dozens of recipes flooded her vision. All of them were subpar, bad, and low quality. But her eyes lit up as they fell upon one.

'Berserk Poison... You will work. I knew the system would offer me what I need.' She had used the system for years and already noticed the rewards were often too convenient for what she needed in an emergency to be a coincidence.

'The system must be trying to keep its host alive, which is not that weird considering we are bound together.'

Ding!

//

Needed ingredients:

2 x Water Element

1 x Poison Element

1 x Fire Element

1 x Blood Element

//

'This is good. All of them should be available here.'

Tia turned to run again, the clapping of her bare feet echoing through the empty corridors with flashing red lights and blaring alarms.


Chapter 5: Basic Alchemy

The young girl defiantly stood her ground in the cramped storage room, surrounded by towering shelves laden with an assortment of cleaning chemicals. A solitary light bulb flickered overhead, casting a dim, sterile glow and making her look even paler than she was.

Determined to hold onto her newfound freedom, she resolved not to succumb to capture once more. With every passing moment, the commando unit from planetary security drew closer, their arrival imminent, and her time dwindling rapidly.

'In head-on battle, I will have no chance to beat a full squad armed with automatic plasma rifles and armored tactical suits.'

The deafening robotic voice reverberated relentlessly, its urgent command overpowering the blaring alarm, penetrating through the thick concrete walls as if they were paper-thin. "Leave the building with your hands above your head, immediately!"

'Shut up and let me work! Or do you want me to really go crazy?!' It was making her nuts, the constant loud noises making her feel like a real lunatic. She wanted them to shut up and let her work!

Tia hurried up and returned to her current task as she was quickly running out of time.

Ding!

//

New quest: The First Potion

The potion-making is the bread and water of every witch! Concoct your first potion.

Rewards: One random potion recipe; 1 x witch point

//

A pile of paper was burning on the ground, the flames licking a small metallic pot filled with boiling, bubbling water and blood. Steam was rising out, carrying a strong stench of blood with it.

'I already have fire, blood, and water elements... ' Her eyes desperately scanned the shelves, looking for anything that would fit a poison description. Finally, they stopped on a bottle of strong and abrasive floor cleaner.

A smile formed on her lips as she grabbed it, 'This should be toxic enough... It isn't exactly a poison, but it should be enough for such a low-grade potion.'

With closed eyes, she delved into deep concentration, allowing the ethereal energy of mana to course from her heart to her very fingertips. A familiar, comforting warmth enveloped her palms, akin to the sensation of dipping them into a stream of gently flowing warm water.

Her hands hovered above the seething cauldron, where the amalgamation of water, metal, and fire elements coalesced. She keenly sensed their presence, guided by an otherworldly precision that surpassed human limitations.

Moving her hand once more, it halted above the container of cleaning solution. An involuntary crease formed on her forehead as an abrupt needle of pain lanced through her mind. Simultaneously, a surge of diverse elements cascaded towards her outstretched hand—water, poison, acid, and an enigmatic blend of unknown forces.

'It should work. It isn't a very pure poison element, but it is enough for this garbage potion.'

With a flick of her wrist, the droplets of the elemental mana lifted off from the fire, the bloody water, and the cleaning solution, all of them neatly separating.

The droplets of the elemental mana hovered in the air, floating as if they were in a zero-gravity environment, the light of the lightbulb refracting in them.

It was just the lowest grade of a potion, so it didn't require any fancy materials, methods, or equipment. On top of that, the number of used elements was so small it even preserved the materials from which they were extracted.

The essential components were merely a collection of material samples for extracting the necessary elements, a suitable medium for blending these elements together, and, of course, an infusion of mana to bring it all together.

'The most important material witches are using is mana and elemental energy. It is almost like chemistry, but the chemicals are replaced by magic. Well, at least on the low level...'

With her will, she pushed all the extracted elements together, condensing them into a single pulsing droplet of mana. Her energy poured out of her body, and sweat dripped down her neck.

Tia closed her eyes, already bracing herself in case it exploded, 'Fingers crossed...'

Her mana enveloped the droplet of elemental energy and dissolved them into a single droplet.

There was no explosion, so she snapped open her eyes in anticipation of seeing the result. A youthful smile curved upon her lips, and her eyes sparkled with uncontainable delight as they fell upon the sight before her.

Suspended in mid-air, a solitary droplet of elemental energy. It brightly shone, outglowing even the old lightbulb hanging from the ceiling. It wasn't perfectly fused, its color constantly shifting between the colors of the respective elements it was composed of. It looked like mixed water and oil, imperfect and not fully fused, showing how flawed and low-tier the recipe was.

'Good enough for me.'

It fell straight into the bubbling water, and as if she had dropped a die into it, its color changed into wine-red. Almost immediately, a crimson vapor began to rise, filling the surrounding air.

Ding!

//

You have concocted a potion.

Rating: It is garbage and barely eligible to be called a potion.

Reward: +1 MAG stat

//

'Well, that was expected.' She still frowned at it, hating how the system couldn't help but make fun of her.

Ding!

//

The quest was cleared!

Rewards: Recipe: Inferior Healing Potion; 1 x witch point

//

Tia held her breath, refusing to inhale the dangerous vapors rising out of it. Exhaustion overwhelmed her like a tidal wave, causing her to slump backward, landing unceremoniously on her backside. Her mind brimmed with weariness, every ounce of energy nearly depleted from the arduous endeavor of creating just a single low-grade potion.

'How deep have I fallen?'

Her body tensed in fear. Steps, lots of heavy steps were moving down the hallway. She counted in her head, 'At least eight of them...'

The bubbling pot of the red liquid raised into the air, suspended by her telekinesis. She was tired, her long hair in a mess, but she refused to give up. With sheer willpower, she stood up and walked straight to the door, her small, pale feet tapping on the ceramic tiles. Her eyes shined, the pot moving before her.

As the footsteps drew nearer, Tia cautiously peered out from the shelter of the doorframe, her senses heightened to their limits. Swiftly, she withdrew, her heart pounding in her chest, adrenaline coursing through her veins, momentarily overpowering her fatigue and the throbbing headache.

A commanding voice, resounding with masculinity, pierced through the corridors of the hospital, reverberating with an eerie echo. "Step forward, young lady. There's no need to fear. Everything will be alright."

The girl felt relief and joy at the voice, 'It sounds clear, so they are likely without masks! I still have a chance!

'Still... How did they find me so fast? There are no cameras around here... maybe some life signs sensors?' Her knowledge was limited only to what she heard from the other patients or found out during her limited access time to the galactic net.

They kept her locked up, but she wasn't fully isolated.

The same voice brought her back out of her thoughts, "Throw your gun out of the room! I promise you, no one will hurt you."

'I must stop spacing out, or I will die!' She stilled her breath and calmed her mind. She flicked her wrist, the last bit of her energy leaving her body. The pot of the red liquid flew straight through the open door.

There was no way she would give up and let them lock her up again!

<<<>>>>

<Basic Telekinesis IV (62%)> --> 63%

<<<>>>>

A loud splashing and clanging noise echoed through the dark corridors of the hospital. Her heart loudly pounded, all of her hopes put into the potion.


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