章 20: Delirious pain

I grabbed the crystal out of the lead box. I examined it one last time before gritting my teeth and going through with my reckless plan. Could it be that I was affected by the radiation more so than anybody else? Nah, I am perfectly sane.

Using an exalted's capability to manipulate mutational energy, I began the absorption process. Instantly, a familiar feeling fell onto me. It was much easier to get a handle of the energy this time around.

The process was also much less burdensome. With some minor irritation, I felt my energy rise.

Soon, an indescribable feeling washed up on me. The pain vanished as if it had all along been nothing but a myth. My mind became cool, my body relaxed and then-

"Urgh…!" I was abruptly awoken from my dreamy sensation. I groaned while resisting the urge to puke. I could taste something metallic in my mouth, blood. Blood had evidently tried to make its way up my throat.

Not willing to leave behind any traces of my blood, however, I had no choice but to regurgitate the blood into the lead box. I then noticed an issue...

The crystal! I can't let go! It was as if the rock candy was claiming ownership over my channels!

"Arg-" I bit my tongue in an attempt to silence myself from yelling out loud.

The energy surged. The jolts became increasingly aggressive. The heat that the crystal and the energy inside it contained felt increasingly hotter. As if magma was coursing through my veins.

Withstanding the excruciating pain to the best of my ability, I saw as smoke seemingly arose from my hand. This shocked my entire body.

Then once more, the pain became a distant fantasy. I finally came to realize what was going on. I was going up a grade!

This crystal was definitely of a high grade! By my calculations, to break into grade three from grade one in a fell swoop, a person needs at least 10,000 energy points! The only crystal that fits this criterion is a grade six crystal!

But no, this wasn't it. After the cooling sensation left my body, my consciousness was once again abruptly brought back to reality. The energy was surging again!

My veins! It felt like they might burst!

"ARRGH-!" I leaned into the lead box again. This time all sorts of filth entered the container. My stomach was emptied, my intestines were emptied, I think my kidneys might have been emptied too! F*ck!

I laid sprawled out on the floor no longer able to resist. Jolts kept on shaking my immobile body. I am sure to an outsider it would appear as if I was having a seizure.

I spewed out blood again. This time there was no helping it, the blood inevitably landed on the floor. I looked at it with my vacant hopeless eyes. I could feel the area around me darken significantly.

But to me, it was quite obvious that this shouldn't be happening. In the corner of my vision, I saw a face.

"Brother…?" I said weakly as I reached out towards his direction hoping it wasn't some sort of illusion.

His hair was neat, he was wearing a suit. Wasn't this his graduation attire? Yes, I remember it very well.

My hand reached nothing. It felt like the closer I got the further his face… My vision turned black.

Finally, the pain stopped. The jolts stabilized. I woke up from what felt like a 30-second nap.

My vision turned hazy but light returned to the surroundings. I still stared at the place where my brother used to stand.

I shook my dazed head and my vision cleared up. There was nothing.

I looked down at my clothes which were indeed splattered with blood. Not only that, but the lead box was also emitting a foul smell. The crystal had long turned to dust so I wasted no time to close the lid on that tightly.

I sat on it for a moment with a little disbelief. For some reason, my body still felt foreign. I could feel the energy course through my body which was a likely source for the unfamiliarity.

So I tried to release it.

All I saw was a hazy black smoke barely escape out of my hand. It quickly dissipated leaving me confused.

What happened to all the energy I was feeling? Where did it all go? I couldn't help but complain when faced with such a pitiful display.

The disappointment then turned to curiosity. I grabbed my phone and checked the time.

[8:35 pm]

But that wasn't the main reason why I had checked actually. It was this instead.

I once more tried to release the hazy black fog to the exterior. The amount was much more abundant in comparison. It barely enveloped the entire phone. This felt like the right thing to do.

I was quite curious about what this application of it might do when I suddenly felt the truck come to a forced stop.

SCRKKK

The tires squealed as the madmen disguised as a driver pressed down on its brake. My phone fell from my hands and I almost fell off of the lead box.

I then noticed a real oddity. My phone disappeared! I quickly sent sharp gazes around the floor and quickly found it after laying my eyes on it properly.

Does the haze help conceal things presences? I wonder how long it lasts then…

Just as I was thinking about that, the truck started to move. This time, much slower. As if it was looking for parking in its destination.

Sh*t… Is it the library?

I then noticed that the haze on the phone started to dissipate. At most 15 seconds had passed since its application. I hid my disappointment a second time and focused on the real issue. The truck had now stopped and I could clearly hear footsteps!

This was likely a result of my advancement. As Kaiser had said, a bonus to perception came with each grade.

I perked up my ears to listen and it seemed that both men were actually walking away. The sound of the heels of their shoes stepping on cement became distant at a hurried pace.

I couldn't hear much else going on here. I could only presume that the area was empty. Then… is it my time to escape?

I looked towards the locked door with a frown. I would surely be able to break right through thanks to my increase in grade but... The noise would simply be too much!

Can I mask sound? I then shook the thought away. It was too dangerous an option.

But what was my next option… To wait here for them to open it and sneak out?