Chapitre 35: The Cost of Survival
(A/N:
*Previous Chapter Rewrite*
If you haven't already, please re-read the previous chapter as it has undergone significant changes.
If you've already read the revised chapter, you're good to go! Continue reading on...
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Caspian stood in the middle surrounded by lupivores.
Lupivores were frozen. But there was no gap.
His heart hammered in his chest, his mind a maelstrom of panic.
The cold, calculating silence of the lupivores only heightened the suffocating tension.
Their Red eyes glowed, and their snarls pierced through his very soul.
Caspian's fingers trembled as he gripped Bloodmoon.
{Hey, child... Sacrifice me. Fast.} The voice of Bloodmoon resonated in his mind.
Caspian's breath caught.
"But... but you're my friend," he whispered hoarsely, his voice breaking.
The sword's voice sharpened, {oh! Noble soul, it's not the time for your emotions to overwhelm you. If you hesitate now, you die. Just do it and it's not like you can't gain me back by points!}
"Gain you back? How?," Caspian asked.
{Yes child,The Bloodline of yours revolves around accumulating and utilizing points so you may gain what you sacrificed by passing a criteria.....well it's what I think.}
[Ding!]
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[Sacrifices Recovery]
-You can regain your previous sacrifices, but at a cost.
-To recover a specific sacrifice, you'll need to offer 20% more points than originally required.
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"You think right," Caspian muttered.
As he looked up.
Lupivores started coming towards him, their claws digging into the road, sent a wave of terror.
They were slowly coming to their senses there was no time to waste.
"I tried once," Caspian said. "But it didn't work. It just... showed question marks.I couldn't sacrifice you..." Caspian said.
{Fucker you were saying friend —Well it's Understandable. Even with a soul like mine, I am forged of a Metal. Sacrificing me would defy the natural laws of the ability you wield. You cannot offer what cannot be consumed.— I am not pretty sure but it might be the reason.}
Caspian blinked rapidly.
He was no stranger to loneliness, but this moment felt crueler than any he had endured.
"What... what should I do, then?" he asked.
"Grrrrrrr"
A snarl cut through their conversation, dragging Caspian's attention back to the lupivores.
Their focus, unwavering and chilling, was locked onto him.
Their red eyes flared, their pupils dilating as if they were savoring the anticipation of the kill.
One of the larger lupivores crouched low, its hind legs tensing as it prepared to pounce.
"GRRRRRR"
The others followed suit, their formation closing in, their mouths opening to reveal glistening, jagged teeth.
They had been frozen before, subdued by the mysterious figure who had taken his family, but now they were awake—and hungry.
"AAOOOUUUUUUU"
The largest lupivore let out a deafening sound, breaking the eerie silence.
It was the signal.
The pack moved as one, their primal instincts driving them forward with terrifying speed.
Caspian had no time left.
One second—just one second of hesitation—and his life would end.
{Sacrifice your memories and try to run away,} the sword urged, its tone leaving no room for hesitation.
"My memories?" Caspian whispered.
As if on instinct, Caspian turned, his eyes locking on the highway ahead.
The lupivores were closing in. His mind raced, every fiber of his being screaming at him to act.
Clenching his fists, Caspian made the choice.
"SACRIFICE MY MEMORIES"
"Ding"
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Sacrifice of Memories
Points Accumulated: 80,000
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The world seemed to blur for a moment as he surrendered the fragments of himself, the memories of a life once lived slipping.
But even as the void claimed his past, some things remained unyielding—his previous life ,his bloodline, his blessing, and Bloodmoon.
They were not mere memories; they were intrinsic, carved into the very essence of his being.
He staggered briefly, his breath catching as a strange emptiness filled his chest.
Yet, even with the emptiness came an undeniable clarity.
Caspian pushed forward, his legs moving instinctively.
But then, mid-stride, a cold realization dawned upon him.
"Why... why am I running?" he muttered.
He glanced over his shoulder, his heart dropping as he saw the pack of lupivores mere meters behind him, their glowing eyes burning.
The answer hit him like a thunderbolt, a visceral fear rekindling his will to survive.
Spurred on by the sight, Caspian sprinted down the highway, his breaths ragged and uneven.
THUMP!THUMP!
The pounding of the lupivores' paws grew louder, their snarls echoing in caspian ears.
"I won't make it like this," he thought.
Without hesitation, he veered off the road, plunging into the dense forest that bordered the highway.
The undergrowth snagged at his clothes, branches clawing at his skin, but he didn't stop.
The forest was a labyrinth of monsters and shadows, but it offered cover, a chance to lose his pursuers.
"If I stay on the highway, I'm done for," Caspian reasoned.
Behind him, the lupivores they were following him.
Caspian didn't look back.
He couldn't afford to.
Caspian ran deeper into the forest, his heart pounding like a war drum.
"Screech."
A jagged branch tore through his sleeve, slicing into his arm.
Blood seeped into the shirt fabric, but he didn't stop.
He couldn't stop.
"Grrrrrrr"
The low growls of the lupivores grew louder behind him, their relentless pursuit echoing through the trees.
"Not now, not now," Caspian muttered through gritted teeth, forcing his legs to move faster.
But after several agonizing minutes, the snarls faded.
He glanced back and saw nothing but the dim silhouettes of trees in the evening sun light.
"PHHHHEEEEEW....!" A breath of relief escaped his lips, his steps slowing for the first time.
Yet, before he could even process his reprieve-
"Grrrrrr"
The guttural growls returned, closer this time.
Caspian froze, his eyes darting around the dark forest.
Shadows shifted, and glowing red eyes appeared from every direction.
He was surrounded.
A dead end.
"HHHHHHEE," Caspian inhaled sharply, his chest heaving as the lupivores prowled closer.
Their fangs glistened, their low growls vibrating through the air.
"PHHHHEEEEEW!." Caspian exhaled again.
"Fuck them," he muttered under his breath, his grip tightening on Bloodmoon.
{Child, you must sacrifice.}
"I know I am thinking," Caspian asked, his voice edged with desperation.
"HHHHHHEE!" Caspian took another deep breath, steadying himself.
There was no time to hesitate.
The lupivores tensed, preparing to pounce.
With a final, ragged breath, Caspian confirmed the choices.
"SACRIFICE 80% MY SENSE OF FEAR"
The tremors in his hand stops.
"SACRIFICE 50% MY SENSE OF HAPPINESS,"
The faint of joy he clungs to were fading.
"SACRIFICE 50% MY SENSE OF TASTE,"
A Sudden hallowness filled him.
"SACRIFICE 50% MY SENSE OF PAIN,"
A burning numbness overtook him.
"SACRIFICE 50% MY SENSE OF SYMPATHY,"
for a moment he didn't know who he was.
Caspian's vision blurred slightly as a familiar screen materialized before him.
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Total Points —> 176,510.
Nearby Rank —> Rank B (400,000)
Previous Rank —> Rank C (120,000)
----
~SACRIFICE: MEMORIES - 80,000 Points
~SACRIFICE: FEAR - 24,000 Points
~SACRIFICE: HAPPINESS - 15,000 Points
~SACRIFICE: TASTE - 8,000 Points
~SACRIFICE: PAIN - 15,000 Points
~SACRIFICE:SYMPATHY- 15,000 Points.
---
~Sacrificing Monster memories -1050 points.
---
~Training — 18,460
---
~~Total points Allocated - 176,510 Points~~
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The world shifted.
The icy grip of fear melted away.
Love, the faint warmth in his heart, faded into an untraceable void.
His breathing steadied, his gaze sharpening.
The snarling beasts no longer inspired terror but became mere obstacles.
"Let's dance," Caspian muttered.
"Ding!"
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Bloodmoon Memory Fragment.
[1/5]
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Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone